The Crieff & Comrie Quair by Alistair Barr

The Crieff & Comrie Quair

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• renoVationS

• attic conVerSionS

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• dry rot and wet rot treatment

IN AUCHTERARDER

WHERE LEGS AND FEET MATTER

tel/text: 07436 793785 e: crieffandcomrie@thequair.com w: www.thequair.scot

April arrives with a gentler quality than the months that precede it. The light strengthens, the days lengthen, and the land around us begins to stir again after winter’s pause. It is a month that reminds us that change does not need to be forced. It comes in its own time, quietly and with purpose.

Within these pages you will find a wide range of activities, notices and dates for the weeks ahead. Taking a moment to read through and mark what matters to you can make the difference between feeling hurried by time and moving with it more easily.

April has a habit of passing quickly if we are not paying attention, helped along by the fact that it only has thirty days to make its point!

WHERE LEGS AND FEET MATTER

GREGOR McCOSHIM FCPodS MChS

HCPC REGISTERED

ROUTINE CHIROPODY

GREGOR McCOSHIM FCPodS MChS

WALKING/RUNNING INJURIES

ORTHOTIC/INSOLE MANUFACTURER

LEG/FOOT HEALTH ASSESSMENT

ORTHOTIC/INSOLE MANUFACTURER

LEG/FOOT HEALTH ASSESSMENT

206 HIGH STREET, AUCHTERARDER, PH3 1AF

TEL: 07932 725211

EMAIL: grm@mccoshim.plus.com www.grmpodiatry.co.uk

EMAIL: grm@mccoshim.plus.com

Comrie Allotments Association

Interested in having an allotment plot? Our plots are located at Cultybraggan Camp and available to residents of Comrie. Half and full plots are serviced with water close by and surrounded by beautiful scenery. To find out more please email: comrieallotments@gmail.com

In this part of Perthshire, the signs of renewal are often subtle. Buds appear almost unnoticed, fields shift colour, and familiar walks feel different from one week to the next. It is a good moment to step outside again, not only to take part in local events, but simply to observe what is changing around us and within us.

As ever, we advise checking details with organisers before attending events, as plans can alter. A little care and awareness help things run more smoothly for everyone. April also brings key moments in the calendar. Schools pause for the spring break from Friday, 3 April to Friday, 17 April, and Easter falls early this year on Sunday, 5 April As the month progresses, attention also begins to turn towards exams. These are times that call for both effort and reflection, and we extend our good wishes to pupils and students preparing for what lies ahead. Wherever April finds you, may it offer a sense of balance, renewal and connection, and may this issue of The Quair support you in staying informed and engaged with your community.

Alistair and Linda The Crieff & Comrie

The Crieff & Comrie Quair is an open access monthly magazine which is delivered FREE to over 6,150 homes and businesss in the Crieff & Comrie area - that's from the county boundary west of St. Fillans to Madderty in the east. Copies for visitors are also made available each month from our outdoor dispensers in Crieff and Comrie. The extra print run is dependent on the normal fluctuating seasonal demand. As well as being a Community Magazine, The Quair is an excellent source of information for visitors. We also produce The Atholl & Breadalbane Quair. Each month, between the two magazines, we print an average of 15,000 and deliver more than 13,500 copies directly to homes and businesses throughout Highland Perthshire and Strathearn.

Local voluntary groups and organisations may submit articles, free of charge. All contributions are carried subject to space being available. We ask that any article reaches us by email by the specified copy date, is factual, non-political, under 400 words and not likely to offend.

Copy Date - The copy date for advertisers and organisations to submit an advertisement or article for the May 2026 edition is noon on Wednesday, 8 April. The Magazines are due to be distributed week commencing Monday, 27 April 2026.

Earnsong Choir - Come and join our friendly bunch who love singing together. We meet every Monday, during school term, in the White Church in Comrie 7 pm till 9 pm. (7.30 pm to 9.30 pm after Easter holidays). We would love to see you.

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• Fabric and leather upholstery care - refresh, revive and protect

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Cathedral Art Exhibition

At the AGM in February it was agreed that the Exhibition would take place in the Duchess Anne in Dunkeld from Saturday, 25 July until Saturday, 29 August. We will take in pictures on Sunday, 19 and Monday, 20 July and artists may enter up to three pieces of work, nothing bigger than 80 x 80cm. A £10 administration fee will be collected at hand in. Work should be brought to Dunkeld ready to hang where appropriate. Registration is online at www.dunkeldartexhibtion.com and this will be open from Friday, 1 to Sunday, 31 May. The Exhibition is open every day from 10 am to 4 pm and 12 pm to 4 pm on Sundays and we do need to recruit new stewards to help. We always have 2 stewards on duty and the times are 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 4 pm and 12 pm to 2 pm and 2 pm to 4 pm on Sundays. If you would like more information please phone Margaret Scott 01738 710399 or email Dunkeldart@aol. com.

Muthill Community Transport - Muthill Community Transport Group SCIO has been operating their on-demand service for 18 months providing essential transport for the full range of medical appointments and an ever-increasing range of socially focused journeys from shopping to cultural and entertainment locations in and beyond our local area. Membership is open to everyone living within a nominal radius of 4 miles around Muthill at an annual cost of £5 per member. We also encourage local groups to join for a fee of £20 per annum which will allow them exclusive use of the transport for their purposes. No charge is made for members travelling, but donations are always welcomed to ensure we can continue providing our services. Currently, we operate a single small bus provided by Perth & Kinross Council, and as demand has increased, we have recently introduced a Volunteer Driver Hospital Car Service. This operates with volunteers who can spare a few hours once or twice a month to take members to hospital or other medical appointments in their own car. For this we are able to reimburse the volunteer at the recommended HMRC rate and we apply a charge to members of approximately 50% of our cost.

We need more volunteers for the Hospital Car Service. If you can spare the time and have a suitable vehicle, please contact us on the number below for further information. We are also interested in anyone able to help with the running of our services. Call and leave a message so we can get back to you with the appropriate information.

For anyone interested in joining the group, membership forms will be available as follows - In Muthill: at the garage, in the Blooming Shed and at Muthill Parish Church. In Crieff: at the Community Campus, Health Centre and Community Hospital.

You can also apply online - For Membership: www.bit.ly/MCTGAppForm For Group Membership: www.bit.ly/MCTGOrgs As a Hospital Car Driver: www.bit.ly/MCGTHCar Numbers to Call - 07587 014271 or 07785 580831 or

(Scottish Charity No. SC053338)

#SHORN by Elsa McTaggart

- Get ready for an unforgettable night at the Aberfeldy Town Hall on Saturday, 18 April with the #SHORN event! Join us for an evening where music and artistry collide, featuring the incredible talents of multi-instrumentalists Elsa McTaggart and Gary Lister. Their unique blend of original music and various styles will captivate your senses and leave you wanting more. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! Elsa and Gary have a lifetime of experience between them and cannot wait to bring this new show to Aberfeldy, celebrating 15 years of touring and marriage with a new and eclectic show of original songs, music and anecdotes. Retracing the footsteps of their honeymoon Red Shoes tour of 15 years ago… #SHORN signifies a coming of age, the shedding of the old and embracing of the new! www.mctaggart-store.com/product/aberfeldy-18th-april-shorn

Dunkeld

Keeping Bertie Bus Rolling in 2026

As spring arrives in Strathearn, the Bertie Bus team are once again looking ahead to another busy season of outings, companionship, and community support. For many residents in Crieff and the surrounding area, Bertie Bus provides a vital link to the wider community. Whether it’s a shopping trip, a visit to the library, or simply a chance to enjoy good company on a day out, Bertie’s runs offer independence and social connection for people who might otherwise find it difficult to get out and about. While passengers may see the bus out on the roads, a great deal of work also takes place behind the scenes to keep this valued local charity running smoothly. Recent updates from the Bertie Board highlight some of the ongoing efforts to strengthen and support the service as it moves forward into 2026.

Changes and Thanks Within the Board

At their recent meeting, the Board recorded their sincere thanks to Kathleen Coffey, who has stepped down from her role as a Trustee after many years of dedicated service. Kathleen has played an enormous part in Bertie Bus’s work over the years. In particular, she has been central to the success of the much-loved Wednesday Club, which continues to provide regular social outings for passengers. She has also been instrumental in supporting and welcoming new volunteers to the organisation. The Bertie team are pleased that Kathleen will continue to be involved in her volunteer coordination role, helping ensure that new volunteers feel supported as they join the team.

A Warm Welcome to a New Trustee

The Board were also delighted to welcome Winnie Jamieson as a new Trustee. Winnie has taken on responsibility for overseeing the Wednesday Club, and the team are very grateful for her willingness to step into this important role. With new volunteers and Trustees joining the organisation, Bertie Bus continues to benefit from the enthusiasm and dedication of local people who want to make a difference in their community.

Staying Connected - Communication be-

tween volunteers is an important part of keeping the charity running smoothly, and the recently introduced Bertie Bus WhatsApp Community is proving to be a helpful new tool. The group allows volunteers and organisers to stay connected and share updates quickly and easily. The community continues to grow, and group leaders are encouraging any Passenger Assistants who have not yet joined to do so.

Supporting Passengers and VolunteersThe Board has also begun exploring opportunities for wheelchair-handling training for Passenger Assistants. This training would help ensure that volunteers feel confident supporting passengers with mobility needs and would further strengthen the service Bertie Bus provides. More information will be shared with volunteers once arrangements for this training have been confirmed.

Looking Ahead to Community EventsBertie Bus is also planning to take part in the Strathearn Better Place to Live Fair, which is scheduled to take place in June 2026. This free community event provides an opportunity for local organisations to showcase the services they provide and connect with people in the area. The Bertie team plan to have a stand at the fair, where visitors can learn more about the charity and find out how they might get involved.

Annual General Meeting - Another important date in the Bertie Bus calendar was the Annual General Meeting, which took place on March 24 at the Strathearn Community Campus. The AGM offers a valuable opportunity for volunteers and community members to hear about the charity’s activities, discuss plans for the future, and celebrate the work that has taken place over the past year.

The Heart of Bertie Bus - Bertie Bus remains a vital part of life in the Strathearn area. Entirely volunteer-led, the service continues to provide outings, shopping trips, library visits, and social opportunities for those who may otherwise struggle to stay connected. For passengers, the bus offers far more than transport. It provides friendship, conversation, and the chance to remain active in the community.

For volunteers, it offers the rewarding experience of helping others while becoming part of a supportive and friendly team. Anyone interested in finding out more about volunteering with Bertie Bus can contact the team by emailing secretary@ bertiebus.org.uk or by calling 07716 119414. As always, the Bertie team extend their thanks to everyone who supports the charity, including volunteers, passengers, families, and the wider community who help keep Bertie Bus rolling.

Comrie SWI - Comrie SWI held their March meeting and had a very enjoyable, entertaining talk and demonstration of auctioneering with Alastair Logan retired auctioneer from Caledonian Marts.

Competition results

Resin items made at last meeting - 1st Carol Mulligan - Earrings 2nd Helen Williamson - Coaster 3rd Lizzie FerenthCoaster

Flower in a glass bottle - 1st Patricia Robertson 2nd Margaret Colyer 3rd Mairi Philp Mocktail - 1st Patricia Robertson 2nd Mairi Philp 3rd Joyce Carnegie

All then enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea Next meeting - Tuesday, 14 April. 2 pm. Comrie Rural Hall. Speaker - John King Cultybraggan Heritage Group.

Competition - An Edible Easter nest; Spring flowers in a milk jug

All welcome. Further information from Joyce, 07771 741983.

Looking for an afternoon out?

We are a small Whist Club, who meet on a Wednesday afternoon in Cameron Court. So why not come along, just turn up, and join us for a friendly game of whist, 2 o’clock until 4 o’clock. You may not always win a prize but you will always get tea/ coffee, cake and biscuits. There is no membership fee but £2 fee each week.

Love a good book and a good film?

Comrie Community Cinema is screening the film Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight based on the book of the same title by Alexandra Fuller. This will be on Wednesday, 22 April at 7.30 pm in the Comrie Rural Hall. Tickets from Hansen’s Kitchen or Eventbrite.

There are plans for a discussion about the film at a later point hosted by Friends of Comrie Library. Books will be available before via Comrie library for those who want to read the book.

Friends of Comrie Library are keen to develop this approach with Comrie Community Cinema (Scottish Charity No. SC054441).

Official opening of the new Oakbank to MacRosty Park off road all abilities path

The official opening of the new Oakbank to MacRosty Park Off Road

All Abilities Path is on Tuesday, 28 April at noon. Come along and help mark this important milestone for our community.

The new path provides a safe, accessible, year-round off road route for walkers, wheelchair users, people with pushchairs and cyclists and we would love to celebrate its opening with you.

Everyone in the community is very welcome. We hope to see you there!

Comrie

in Colour volunteers sought

Do you enjoy the outdoors? Do you have some spare time? Would you like to help enhance the local environment?

Comrie in Colour is a volunteer bloom group and part of the Take a Pride in Perth and Kinross Association. We care for public garden areas throughout the village of Comrie. Our work includes weeding, planting, pruning and general maintenance. No experience is necessary, and tools are provided. We usually meet on a suitable afternoon at 2 pm, weather permitting, and work for approximately two hours. Volunteers are welcome to come along when

they can and help for as long as they are able. Our working season runs from March to October. If you are interested and would like more information, please contact us at comrieincolour@gmail.com or call 07906 292565.

Crieff Needs You - The Crieff Gleam Team is a community group of volunteers making their contribution to helping keep the streets and green spaces of Crieff litterfree ... something we all want to see and enjoy.

A small and dedicated group meet at The Square at 2 pm on a fortnightly basis, alternating between Saturday and Sunday (see next litter-pick dates below) but more volunteers would be very much appreciated and made very welcome.

Any dates that you can offer your assistance for one hour would be very much appreciated. All equipment will be provided - gloves, bin bags, high-visibility waistcoat and litter-pick grabbers - so there is no need to bend down should you have any mobility issues. All ages are welcome, with any under 12s volunteers being accompanied by an adult. All collected bags are sealed, marked with a ‘Litter Picked By Volunteers’ label and prompt vehicle collection is arranged.

Should you not be able to join The Crieff Gleam Team on a Saturday or Sunday, please do consider to be a solo picker at your own convenience. Simply pick and bag any litter you find on your travels, and place in the many public litter bins around the town. Let Mark know about your efforts and you’ll be added to the Crieff Gleam Team’s social media postings via Crieff Community Council.

Please be assured, every little piece of litter binned helps keep Crieff a clean and beautiful place to live, work and enjoy.

Next Crieff litter picking dates - Saturday, 4 April, Sunday, 19 April, Saturday, 2 May, Sunday, 17 May, Saturday, 30 May, Sunday, 14 June, Saturday, 27 June, Sunday, 12 July, Saturday, 25 July ... with more dates to follow.

For further details, please email Mark Hunter at markhunter0706@gmail.com

Fowlis Wester SWI - Alan Craig gave a talk about his and Corinne’s adventures in Qatar. The photographs were wonderful, and members had a chance to see clothes and taste things they brought back with them. Competitions - 1lb fruit loaf - 1. Anne Hubbard 2. Helen Newton 3. Wilma Brown. Black and white photo of agriculture - 1. Carol Page 2. Jo Torrance 3. Frances Haggart. The hostesses were Carol Page and Audrey McColl.

to Landscaping Company

Save the date - Join us at our Open Day on Saturday, 25 April from 10 am to 1 pm at Comrie Library. Library staff supported by Friends of Comrie Library will run a drop-in Jump Into Libraries session where you can find out more about the library and its services. Free refreshments will also be available. All ages welcome! Friends of Comrie Library (FOCL) was set up by local people to secure the long-term future of Comrie Library. They have been working hard behind the scenes to help retain our lovely library space. They will share ideas on how they are enhancing our offer, and they would like to hear some ideas from you, too. Whether you are a regular or occasional library user or haven’t got round to signing up, please come and join us.

Bookbug sessions - Held every Friday morning from 9.30 am to 10 am. These fun, interactive sessions are suitable for pre-schoolers from baby years. Why not drop the older children at school or nursery, then pop along to the library with your wee ones? No need to book.

Café Books - Do you love to read? Join us at Café Books to chat about new authors, share your own favourite books and be inspired to read more. Café Books is held at Comrie Library on the last Thursday of the month from 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm.

Family history - Are you interested in researching your family history? Join our Family History Group. This informal session meets every four weeks on a Thursday afternoon from 2 pm. Using your own device is recommended, but we do have two network computers available if required. These sessions are free. Please contact the library for more information.

Books on Wheels - For individuals in the Comrie and St Fillans area who cannot get out and about to visit the library, books can be delivered straight to your door each month. For more information, please get in touch with Comrie Library.

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Crieff Community Council

Weeding out the criminals - The smell of cannabis being smoked on the streets of Crieff was raised as an issue at the most recent Crieff Community Council meeting. A Tayside police representative explained that it needs the public’s help in tracing those who deal drugs locally and that recent charges being laid following a raid at a house in Crieff, where a quantity of cocaine and cash were found, was the result of good intelligence being provided by the community. They advised that if you have any knowledge of similar or other criminal behaviour you can pass on the information, anonymously if you prefer, by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by visiting their website at crimestoppers-uk.org.

As part of the monthly police report it was advised there were 19 crimes reported in the area last month, all of which were described as routine offences. There were a couple of fraud incidents reported including where it was indicated a large false credit from a bank had to be repaid. The importance of being vigilant and wary of such scams, both for yourself and others around you, particularly the vulnerable, was highlighted.

The issue of ‘boy racers’ was also raised, and again, it was emphasised how important it was for information on such incidents, such as details of when, where, what and who, to be passed on to the police for follow-up action and to build up a picture of the offences and offenders.

The CCC meeting also heard Perth and Kinross Council is continuing to work with Historic Environment Scotland over the next steps to be taken on the Drummond Arms demolition project. PKC noted that the Crieff community’s views on site use following demolition had been clearly communicated and understood. There was good news regarding the James Square public toilets. There is funding available that will help get them reopened, but CCC would not be able to run the project given the potential auditing requirements necessary. Crieff Community Trust will therefore take the lead with the assistance of the Community Council and an Easter opening is possible.

It was highlighted that certain repeat offenders were letting their dogs foul pavements and not bothering to clean up after them. The newly appointed town street cleaner, Colin Clarke, has also commented to CCC members that it appears to be a particular problem in Crieff. Unfortunately there is little that can be done given how difficult it is to identify those responsible. There were suggestions of leaving signs, and perhaps a supply of waste bags, at sites where the issue is common.

Councillor Rhona Brock spoke on the move to set up allotments on the vacant ground between Aldi and Crieff Primary and said plans were moving forward. Soil samples are being sent away to be tested and a site survey will follow. It’s felt that some sort of orchard with walkways at the northern end of the site would be appropriate, and the allotments themselves would vary in size and use. A management group would need to take over control of the project once interest had been established and plans put firmly in place.

Councillor Brock also spoke about ongoing plans to have a footpath built that would eliminate the need for pedestrians to use the road to traverse the bridge on Sauchie Road; it’s a very dangerous spot given its narrowness, the blind bends and its proximity to Sauchie Park.

The CCC has written to PKC asking that the old golf shop in the Town Square be the subject of a compulsory purchase order in the hope of flushing out the owner and getting them to proactively work on selling the property to anyone interested in developing this key town site.

The next CCC meeting will be on Monday, 6 April at 7.30 pm at the Strathearn Campus. All are welcome to attend.

Crieff & Strathearn Drovers’ Tryst Walking Festival

The dates for this year’s walks are Friday, 15 May to Monday, 18 May 2026. Walks next May include Bridge of Orchy to Pubil along Loch Lyon and the old Drovers’ route from Kirkmichael in Strathardle to Ballinluig, south of Pitlochry as well as along Glen Almond from Newton Bridge to Loch Tay.

Details of the walks are on the Tryst’s website (www.droverstryst.com)

Can Do Crieff: A fresh start for spring April is a time of new beginnings, longer days and lighter mornings, creating a natural point to consider a new way of working. Can Do Crieff provides a welcoming, community-based co-working space in the heart of town, offering a practical alternative to working from home or commuting further afield. Home to freelancers, remote workers and small organisations, the space offers superfast broadband, flexible desk options and a friendly, professional atmosphere. Memberships range from day passes to unlimited 24/7 access, all without longterm contracts.

As a social enterprise, income from Can Do Crieff is reinvested back into local community projects, supporting organisations including Crieff Community Trust and Strathearn Arts. This spring, working locally not only benefits your productivity and wellbeing, it also supports the wider Crieff community.

Find out more at www.candocrieff.com or message us via candocrieff@gmail.com and we would be happy to show you around.

VisionPK: 160 Years of Making a Difference

Help us Continue our Work

This year, VisionPK proudly celebrates 160 years of supporting people in Perth & Kinross. Since 1866, we have been helping individuals with sight loss live full, independent lives, providing practical support, advice, specialist equipment, and services that make a real difference every day. In 2016, we expanded our work to include hearing loss support.

Over the decades, our work has only been possible thanks to the dedication of staff, volunteers, and supporters in the community. But as we look to the future, we face an urgent challenge: to keep VisionPK running and continue supporting those who rely on us. We need your help. Every donation, no matter the size, goes directly into funding our services. From daily living support to specialist equipment, advice, and community activities, your gift ensures people living with sight and hearing loss can continue to access the care they need.

We cannot take our 160-year legacy for granted. Please consider giving today so VisionPK can continue its vital work for the next 160 years and beyond.

To celebrate this incredible milestone, we invite you to join us at our celebration event on Tuesday 21st April, 12-2pm at our Sensory Hub, 17-19 George Street, Perth.

Come and share in our anniversary, meet staff and volunteers, and celebrate the difference VisionPK has made and will continue to make in our community. Contact us to book your place at the event or make a donation. You can also scan the QR code below. Thank you for your continued support.

Comrie & District Men’s Shed Quiz Night - Thank you to all who attended the Comrie & District quiz night at the Crieff Legion on February 20. Your support was much appreciated. It was a fun evening which raised the profile of the Shed within the area. There were some innovative team names. We raised £600 from the raffle and auction, and also received a generous donation of £250 from Perth Strathearn Round Table. This will greatly assist our finances for the coming year.

We would like to thank all (both individuals and companies) that donated prizes for the raffle, it was very much appreciated. The following businesses supported us: - Perthshire Plant Training; Vino Fandango Fine Wines & Spirits; Highland Industrial Supplies

Perth; Tim Peake; Scot Agri; Gordon & Durward; The Crieff Food Co; The Royal Hotel Comrie; Caithness Glass; Cafe Comrie; Crieff Visitor Centre Plant Centre; Bennybeg Plant Centre; The Handy Shop - Comrie; The Steading Courtyard Butchers; Irving Geddes Estate Agency; David Comrie & Son Butchers; The Scotland Shop We look forward to seeing you all again later in the year.

Crieff Archery - Crieff Archery club will be moving outdoors from Mid-April. We will be shooting from 20 yards up to 100 yards. Sessions will take place as usual on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 pm till dusk.

You can find us at the back of the rugby fields at king George V Playing fields, Crieff, PH7 4HP.

Once outdoors, we will announce the dates for the next coaching / introduction session for new members. For any information, please contact Pierre on 07595 047372 or check our website: www.crieffarcheryclub.org.uk

Brass central Strathearn - Last month, we had a fantastic time performing at Perth Concert Hall as part of the SBBA Scottish Championships. Now we’re excited for what’s coming next! A combined concert with Clackmannanshire District Brass Band will take place at Strathearn Community Campus on Saturday, 9 May at 7 pm. Tickets - Adults £12, Under 16s Free It promises to be a brilliant evening, so come along, enjoy great music, and support your local Community Band in this exciting collaboration!

We rehearse every Thursday evening at Morrisons Academy and always welcome new members. Whether you’re an experienced player or just starting out, we can provide instruments to borrow, and our Development Band is a friendly place for beginners to learn. If you’re interested or have any questions, feel free to get in touch at brasscstrath@gmail.com - we’d love to hear from you!

Strathearn Horticultural Society - Thanks to everyone who came to our quiz night, helping us to be able to set up our flower show on Saturday, 5 September. Susan and committee SHS. Schedules out soon.

Crieff Fifty Plus Club

Our next monthly meetings are on Wednesday, 1 April and Wednesday, 6 May at 2.30 pm in St Columba’s Church, Perth Road.

The talk on the 1 April is by Karen Hapka and Sue Wylie about the Richmond Community and on the 6 May will be our Annual General Meeting.

Annual membership of our club is £5, plus £2 for each monthly meeting. This includes coffee, tea and biscuits, so quite a bargain! There is also an opportunity to join any of our activity groups - Art, Quilting, Mahjong, Bridge, Indoor Bowls and Badminton.

New members are always welcome, and we meet on the first Wednesday of the month, from September to May (except January), usually with a speaker on an interesting topic, of general appeal.

So, come along, and give us a try! Your first meeting is free.

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Cllr Stewart Donaldson

Strathearn Ward - SNP

Well, that’s the Council Budget over. There were a number of earlier misconceptions based on officer proposals. It’s not a criticism of officers. They do have to put forward options. We as councillors, and as an administration, do not have to accept them. For example, Logos was concerned about the possible withdrawal of support for the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, and the impact that would have on younger people. That was rejected outright. The Community Environmental Challenge Fund will remain. It has many attributes. Apart from encouraging so many local community initiatives, it also levers in external funding by a factor of over 5 times. Indeed, we want to see a greater role for external and matched funding. Although it was not going to happen for over a year, we did not accept the removal of dedicated support for the Tayside Bio-Diversity Partnership. We scrutinised a massive range of items. We also recognise that the transformation process with Council services needs to be intensified. One key move was to provide £215,000 per annum to finance £15m in capital investment in roads, bridges, pavements, and traffic signals. More locally, additional funding was allocated for accelerated repairs and maintenance for rural primary schools. Here, Comrie Primary especially ought to benefit with investment in external buildings to improve thermal performance and the interior environment. That helps, although with Comrie Primary clearly more than that will be required. There was also additional funding based on proposals from myself and Bailie Brock for Experience Crieff to support and sustain ongoing regeneration efforts in the town, and with the Tartan Festival in April 2027 a key event to focus on.

What will be the next key date for the Council is the meeting on Wednesday, 17 June. That will consider both the Tourism Visitor Levy, and the Libraries Review. I will say more on both these matters in due course, but would stress that the administration gave a clear commitment on rural libraries.

Given the time of year there are a wide range of events throughout April. The opening of the MacRosty Link, the footpath from Turretbank Wood up to Lady Mary’s Walk, will be on Tuesday, 28 April at 12 pm, with Stephen Leckie, the Lord Lieutenant, presiding. I so much look forward to that.

On Friday, 3 April, Crieff and Strathearn Museum reopens at the Town Hall. Not to be missed is the Echoes of the Picts Festival over the Easter weekend. Many thanks to all involved, notably Dave Ferguson.

At Innerpeffray by the time you read this work should be completed on the new Viewpoint. Also, on Friday, 3 April it’s the Opening Day for the Exhibition on the Scottish Colourists at Perth Art Gallery.

To contact me I’m on SDonaldson@pkc.gov.uk, at 2 High Street, Perth. By phone it’s best to phone my Council mobile on 07557 815544.

Crieff Bridge Club - Crieff Bridge Club has resumed its activities for the winter. We meet every Tuesday in Crieff Golf Club starting at 6.30 pm. We would welcome new pairs and anyone interested should contact our Secretary, Donald Smith, for further details. (smithdonald@tiscali.co.uk). We are a very friendly club and would make newcomers, regardless of ability, most welcome.

You can find all of The Quair advertising details at our website by scanning the QR Code to the left and view our Facebook page by scanning the QR code to the right

Pete Wishart MP

Perth and Kinross-shire

I can be reached at 63 Glasgow Road, Perth, PH2 0PE, by telephone on 01738 639598 or by email at pete.wishart.mp@parliament.uk

Pete Wishart MP

Perth

and Kinross-shire SNP

Since my last column, Perth and Kinross Council has agreed its annual budget, with a number of decisions that will affect communities here in Strathearn.

One particularly welcome announcement was funding for Experience Crieff, helping sustain the regeneration work that has been building momentum in the town. Experience Crieff has done a tremendous job promoting everything that makes the town special, from its independent shops and local businesses to the events, heritage and distinct community spirit.

Crieff has always been a town with a great deal to offer, but initiatives like Experience Crieff help make sure more people hear about it. By promoting the town and supporting local traders and events, they are helping strengthen Crieff’s reputation as a vibrant and welcoming place to visit. I’m very pleased to see the council supporting this work and I look forward to seeing Experience Crieff build on its success in the years ahead.

Another positive piece of news was confirmation that the £6 million upgrade to Live Active Strathearn is now scheduled for 2027. This investment will extend the life of the facility by an estimated 20 years, helping ensure that leisure facilities remain available in the town for many years to come.

Facilities like Live Active Strathearn are about far more than just fitness. They give people a place to meet, socialise and spend time together, as well as providing opportunities for sport and exercise. In towns like Crieff, they are an important part of community life and play a real role in supporting people’s health and wellbeing, so this investment is very much welcome.

Finally, this will be the last edition of The Crieff & Comrie Quair before the Scottish Parliament election on Thursday, 7 May, so I wanted to include a quick reminder about voting. You can vote in the Scottish Parliament election if you live in Scotland and are a British citizen, an Irish citizen, or a foreign national with permission to stay in the UK, and you are aged 16 or over on the day of the election. If you are not yet registered, you can do so in just a few minutes online: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

It’s also worth remembering that the deadline to apply for a postal vote is Tuesday, 21 April. If you’re eligible, I would encourage you to make sure you’re registered and ready to take part.

As ever, if you have any queries I may be able to assist with, please get in touch on 01738 639598 or pete.wishart.mp@parliament.uk.

Choosing a Care Service? The

Care

Inspectorate

look at the quality of care in Scotland to ensure it meets high standards. Where they find that improvement is needed, they support services to make positive changes. *Their vision is that everyone experiences safe, high-quality care that meets their needs, rights and choices. *They inspect individual care services and Higher-risk services are inspected more often. *They give care services grades when they inspect them, and look at key areas like care and support, physical environment, quality of staffing, and quality of management and leadership. Each area of each care service is assessed on a scale from 1 to 6, where 1 in unsatisfactory and 6 is excellent. After every inspection, they publish an inspection report showing their findings, which is helpful if you are using service or thinking of doing so.

Find a care service - You can find the details of every registered care service in Scotland, and read their inspection reports on their website. at: www.careinspectorate.com. Source: www.careinspectorate.com

Comrie Silver Circle - Comrie Silver Circle meets every Thursday at 2 pm in Comrie Parish Church Hall. Entertainment and afternoon tea at 3 pm. All Welcome. Phone Myra if you need transport 01764 670166.

Clasaichean Ciùil

PerthFect Blinds

Quality Blinds You Can Afford

Vertical Blinds

and Replacement slats

Venetian Blinds and Wooden Venetian

Roller Blinds and Vision Rollers

Roman Blinds

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In Venetian, Wood Venetian, Roller and Pleated

Pleated Blinds

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Café Comrie

• Traditional Scottish breakfasts • Baked potatoes

• Hot filled breakfast rolls • Home made soups

• Freshly made sandwiches & toasties • Croissants

• Mackies ice cream

• Twinnings tea selection and fresh ground coffee

• Daily special board

• Takeaways Available Spring Opening Times will vary.

Please check our Facebook & Instagram accounts for details

Café Comrie, Drummond Street, Comrie, PH6 2DW Tel: 07702 903309 e: Cafecomrie07@gmail.com

Comrie Bridge Club - Think your bridge is a bit rusty or not good enough to join a club. Think again and give us a try. Why not turn your heating off and come for a warm welcome at Comrie Bridge club. We are a small friendly club that plays duplicate bridge each week from early October to the end of March. We welcome new players both experienced and improvers and your first visit is free. On a Wednesday afternoon you are welcome to come and just watch for a few weeks before joining in play. We play on Wednesday afternoon at 2 pm and Thursday evening at 7 pm in the Comrie Bowling Club, Camp Road. We ask players to arrive at least 15 minutes early. You do not need a partner for Wednesdays. Thursday is for pairs but if you need a partner give us a ring and we will try to arrange one for you. Both sessions have a break for tea or coffee and biscuits. The annual membership fee is £7 which includes both days and the table fee is £3 per session. If you are interested in joining us or want more information please contact: Phil 07713 643565 philiptipping61@gmail. com or Kate 07714 291077 kate@thecreativepractice.org

Front Cover Picture

We took this month’s front cover image at The Four Seasons Hotel, St. Fillans. We usually use photos from our own stock, however if you think you have something suitable you would like us to use for The Quair please feel free to email it to us at crieffandcomrie@thequair.com stating your name and providing a short narrative about the photo. Please note that by sending your photo you are also agreeing to let us use this for any Quair activity.

Muthill Parish Church

(Church of Scotland)

A place to find peace and welcome, a presence at the heart and soul of the community and a people growing in Christian faith and love - Situated in the conservation village of Muthill, some three miles from Crieff, Muthill Parish Church is a steadily growing Church of Scotland congregation seeking to serve our surrounding community with all-age Sunday worship at 10.30 am and a host of other activities every week. With the month of April starting with Holy Week, there will be special services in our Church on Good Friday, 3 April 7 pm and Easter Sunday, 5 April 10.30 am when everyone will celebrate the risen Lord by decorating the cross with daffodils representing Hope and new life. Amongst our continuing weekly activities leading through spring we have our regular Wednesday Men’s Group, our Wednesday Soup and Sandwich lunches, for which we are in receipt of a grant from PKC as a warm space venue and our social exercise class on a Tuesday afternoon will resume shortly. For those seeking to explore questions of life and faith we are currently running an Alpha course. It is intended that this will be repeated in the autumn with the possibility also of a Youth Alpha. These courses run alongside our bible class and house groups.

Through these and other activities, we seek to engage with our village and beyond on the joys and challenges of the Christian faith and to provide meaningful church family fellowship with supporting pastoral care.

Our Church building this year reached

its first bicentenary celebration in March marking the laying of its foundation stone in 1826 when we were privileged to welcome the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland to lead us in a special service of worship. In 2028, there will be further larger celebrations to mark the bicentenary of the actual opening of the church for worship.

‘Ye are all the leaves of one tree and the drops of one ocean.’ Baha’u’llah

Comrie Centre for Peace and Reconciliation

We are continuing to meet at the Chapel at Cultybraggan every Thursday lunchtime at 1 pm. You would be very welcome to join us then for a time of quiet reflection. Such reflection can support inner quiet and balance.

We have recently updated our church website at www.muthillparishchurch.co.uk and, through this, we provide current information on our activities and services. Our church building with varied flexible accommodation is available for rental and, with further plans to be implemented this coming summer, we continue to seek a variety of ways of engaging with and being of service to our immediate neighbourhood and beyond. We invite anyone to come to our Sunday worship as well as to any of our regular activities where you can be assured of a warm welcome.

In this way, when we consider the disturbing state of the world - instead of allowing fear or anger to take hold, we can be part of the solution. This opportunity is open to everyone, irrespective of faith tradition. Guidance for quiet sitting can be offered if needed. You are also welcome to sit in the chapel at other times - whenever you feel a need to be quiet and calm down.

For further information, contact: Sister Candasiri 01764 670088; Su 07732 533361 or Diana Macpherson 07552 312386.

The Baha’i Faith - The Comrie and Crieff group is hosting an opportunity for open hearted, joyful and hopeful conversations and reflection on quotes and prayers from all faiths and philosophies every Wednesday at 7.30 pm, in Comrie and every Monday in Crieff at 7.30 pm. These gatherings welcome all comers in the spirit of fellowship and friendship, uplifting our hearts and souls in these troubled times. For further information please contact Diana on 01764 670399 or Gordon on 07510 454342. ‘The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.’ Baha’u’llah

In Crieff the early morning gathering in the Crieff Community Garden for prayer for the people and plants in the garden and beyond will take place weekly on Wednesdays at 7.30 am and monthly at 10 am on the first Saturday of every month. The gathering is open to all ages, backgrounds, faiths and beliefs or none in a spirit of harmony and appreciation.

At CBC we have weekly services on a Sunday morning at 10.30 am in our building on Addison Terrace. We are a welcoming, friendly church and our services reflect this by being fairly informal in style, with participation from various members of the congregation each week. We have children’s groups which run during the services (during term time) and tea and coffee are served after the service for a time of fellowship. Each week there are various home groups which run through the school term where we study the bible, pray together and encourage and support one another. For more information on any of these, please just get in touch. Our warm spaces group (Coorie & Crafts) is on Mondays from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm. Come along for some tea, coffee and home baking. Everyone welcome.

Alpha Course - We are running an Alpha Course here at CBC on Sunday evenings from 6 pm to 8 pm starting on Sunday, 26 April. This is open to anyone to

Crieff Baptist Church

come along and explore the Christian faith through discussion and videos from the Alpha UK team.

As part of each session we will also have dinner together, so for numbers and catering please book in via this link - www. eventbrite.co.uk/e/alpha-course-2026tickets-1984376647972?aff=oddtdtcreator.

The link for booking can also be found on our website.

For further information on any of these events, or to get in touch with the minister, John Burns, please contact: crieffbaptist@ gmail.com; pastor@crieffbaptist.org.uk Alternatively, you can keep up to date with all that’s happening in the church via our website (www.crieffbaptist.org.uk), on Facebook (Crieff Baptist Church) or on Instagram (crieff_baptist).

Crieff Baptist Church, 1 Addison Terrace, Crieff, PH7 3AT. (Scottish Charity No. SC053381)

Quakers in Scotland - There are a number of Quaker Meetings in Scotland. Find out more at www.quaker.org.uk/meetings or www.discoveringquakers.org.uk. The nearest ones to Strathearn are Dunblane, which meets weekly on a Sunday at 10.30 am, and Perth, which meets fortnightly on the 2nd and last Sunday of the month at 11 am. A Quaker Meeting for Worship is also held monthly in Aberfeldy (dates are advertised locally and published in The Atholl & Breadalbane Quair).

Children are welcome at these meetings, although advance notice is helpful. If you would like to know more, please contact the correspondence clerk at dunblane@quaker.scot.

Mid Strathearn Parish - Mid Strathearn Parish in rural Perthshire was formed in 2018 with the Union of the congregations of Fowlis Wester, Gask, Madderty and Monzie Churches.

As a family of Christian people we offer opportunities for regular worship and aim to serve our community through caring and involvement. We seek to be welcoming, open, warm and friendly, and look forward to welcoming you to our services.

St Fillan’s RC Parish Church Parish of St Fillan’s RC Church, Crieff & St Margaret’s RC Church Comrie Ford Road, Crieff PH7 3HN. Parish Priest - Very Rev Fr. Dr Tobias O. Okoro. emailstfillancrieff@dunkelddiocese.org.uk

A warm welcome is extended to all parishioners, friends and visitors. Please join us for any of the Masses and/or Services. Saturday Vigil Mass 5.30 pm in St Fillan’s. Crieff Sunday Mass 9.30 am in St Margaret’s Church. Comrie Sunday Mass 11 am in St Fillan’s Church, Crieff.

Please note that due to ongoing flood defence repair work, St Margaret’s Church in Comrie is not currently being used. Sunday Mass is being said in Comrie Rural Hall.

Holy Week Schedule

Wednesday, 1 April - Holy Mass in St Fillan’s Crieff at 9.30 am

Maundy Thursday - Thursday, 2 April. Liturgy of the Lord’s Last Supper. 7 pm. St Fillan’s Church

Good Friday - Friday, 3 April. Morning Prayer. 9.30 am. St Fillan’s Church Stations of the Cross. 2.30 pm. St Fillan’s Church Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion. 3 pm. St Fillan’s Church

Holy Saturday - Saturday, 4 April. Morning Prayer. 9.30 am. St Fillan’s Church, Blessing of Polish Food Basket in St Fillan’s Crieff at 10 am, Vigil Mass of the Lord’s Resurrection - 8.30 pm - St Fillan’s Church Easter Sunday - Sunday, 5 April. Masses as usual.

Happy Easter to all of you in advance!

Crieff Parish Church

www.crieffparishchurch.org

If church has ever hurt you…

If your faith feels fragile right now… If life has thrown at you difficult and challenging times …

Then you are welcome to join us every Sunday in what is a gentle, joy-filled space where nobody is judging you, nobody is testing you, and nobody is measuring your faith. Where? St Andrew’s Building in Strathearn Terrace at the corner of Ferntower Road. When? Every Sunday at 11 am What will i find when i get there? A group of up to 50 people who gather on a Sunday morning to worship, to sing songs and hymns with music provided by our fabulous praise band, to think about life and what the Bible has to tell us about life, and to hear someone speak about their lifetime experiences and what the Bible means to them.

And apart from the very warm welcome there’s always a cup of tea, coffee, lovely biscuits and sometimes cakes which you can share with others at the end of the service. Who are the people who gather? We are a group of flawed people, old and young (ish), but all young at heart; people who make mistakes and don’t always get things right; but people who want to find a new and better way of living.

We are part of a Church which has been on the go for 140 years. And we’re still learning; we’re still renewing; we’re still changing. And we would love it if you would join us on our journey and share your experiences with us.

This year we are looking at ways in which we can engage more with the community and in the weeks leading up to Easter we have been collecting food which is being donated to the Food Bank.

We’re also actively supporting the work a couple of Scottish people working in Zambia who help run a hospital out there, with limited resources.

How can we be contacted? To find out more why not send an email to crieffpc@ gmail.com, visit our website www.crieffparishchurch.org or follow us on Facebook

which we are currently using to keep folks up to date. And watch out for a new fresh website to be launched very soon and which will tell you much more about who we are and what we do.

Or drop us a line to Crieff Parish Church, Strathearn Terrace, Crieff, PH7 3AQ.

If you think we can help you please don’t hesitate to be in touch.

All are welcome in our church, and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Station Road, Muthill, PH5 2AR

Website - www.stkessogs.org

Clergy in Charge - Vacancy Lambing Season

With lambing season here, Police Scotland would like to remind dog walkers of their responsibilities with regard to keeping their pets on a lead when they are near sheep. Dog owners have a clear responsibility to ensure their pets are under control and this is made clear in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, especially when there are pregnant ewes and young lambs in the fields. If your pets chase or worry sheep, you are likely to get prosecuted and you could lose your dog. Worrying is defined as attacking livestock, chasing livestock in such a way that it may be reasonable to expect the dog to cause injury or suffering to livestock as well as abortion in female animals, and being at large (not under close control or on a lead) in a field or enclosure where there are sheep. Chasing by dogs can do serious damage to livestock, even if the dog doesn’t catch them. The stress of chasing/ worrying by dogs can cause animals to die and pregnant stock to miscarry. Livestock fleeing from dogs are often killed or seriously injured by their panicked attempts to escape, often causing significant collateral damage to fences in the process. In some circumstances farmers are legally entitled to shoot dogs if they are endangering their sheep. Therefore it is vital that you keep your dog on the lead around livestock. If anyone witnesses an incident of livestock worrying contact Police Scotland.

St James Episcopal Church, Muthill

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Jehovah’s Witnesses

26-30 King St, Crieff PH7 3HA

Jehovah’s Witnesses hold meetings for worship twice each week. (Hebrews 10:24, 25)

At these meetings, which are open to the public, we examine what the Bible says and how we can apply its teachings in our life. Most of our services include audience participation, much like a classroom discussion. Meetings begin and end with song and prayer.

You don’t have to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses to attend our meetings. We invite everyone to come along.

Seats are free. No collections are ever taken. www.jw.org/en

Seventh Day Adventist Church

Gwydyr Road, PH7 4BS info@crieffadventist.org.uk

We meet every Sabbath (Saturday) for our worship services. At 10 am we have our Study Hour (with separate classes for adults and children). Our main worship service is at 11.20 am and we often have other events throughout the week. Our aim and vision is to be a community that reflects faith in God demonstrated by faith in our fellow men and women, thus honouring the command of the Lord Jesus found in passages such as John 13:34,35 ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’ Come and join us...

Strathearn Episcopal Churches

Crieff, Comrie, & Lochearnhead

Rev. Gennie Evans rev.gen@btinternet.com.

Tel: 01764 650985

St Columba’s, Crieff; St Serf’s, Comrie; St Angus’, Lochearnhead and St Fillan’s, Killin www.strathearn-episcopal-churches.co.uk

Please check any service times listed independently before attending. If you see any out of date information, or feel that there any omissions, we’d be obliged if you could email us at crieffandcomrie@thequair.com

The Crossing Crieff

Who are we - The Crossing Crieff is a Gospel-centred, local, independent church. A Community who gather to Worship, learn from His Word, and fellowship. We believe in the power of studying the Word of God (the Bible) and having a community of people which is not just on Sunday. We meet twice a week for worship, bible study/teaching, and fellowship, in which we systematically go through the bible looking at the big picture of the bible and the individual events and stories and how it all fits together.

Service Times

Heartlands.church - At www.heartlands.church, we’re not just starting another service - we’re nurturing a rooted, relevant, and real Scottish church family, shaped by the applied Word of God and made ready for the days ahead.

Sunday Morning Service - 11 am for children service (all welcome), and 11.30 am12.30 pm for adult service, followed by tea, coffee & fellowship at Strathearn Campus, Pittenzie Rd, Crieff PH7 3JN

Tuesday Evening Bible study - 5.30 pm for a meal and fellowship followed by a discussion-based bible study starting at 6.15 pm - 7 pm at Craiglynne, Dallerie Road, Crieff, PH7 4EG

More Information

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about God or ourselves.

Our details are Pastor: Allan Holleran Email: info@thecrossingcrieff.co.uk Web: www.thecrossingcrieff.co.uk Tel: 07864 803123

Address: Craiglynne, Dallerie Road, Crieff, PH7 4EG. Charity No: SC052382.

Comrie Parish Church

If you’ve been longing for preaching with backbone and Bible, community without compromise, and a place where questions are welcome but truth isn’t watered down - this might be just what you’ve been praying for. We’ve not officially launched yet - but you don’t have to wait to get a feel for who we are. Tune in from home to Kingdom.rocks - our 24-hour online radio station with heartfelt worship, daily devotions morning and evening, strong sermons, and even stories and songs for the bairns with Jingle & Ben and the Music Town Gang. Check the broadcast schedule at Kingdom.rocks, have a listen, and see if you click. Come and see. Come and listen. You’ll know if it’s home.

robert@whisperingword.com, 07975 805323, www.heartlands.church Blessings, Reverend Victor Robert Farrell

Dementia Café - The Dementia Café is held in the North Church, High Street, Perth on the first Wednesday of the month from 10 am until 12.30 pm.

www.comrieparishchurch.org Comrie Parish Church, 22 Burrell Street, Comrie, PH6 2JP Welcome to our Church - We seek to follow Jesus Christ, to share the Gospel, and bring the knowledge of God’s love to all. Sunday services are 10 am Comrie Parish Church and 11.30 am Dundurn. To contact Rev Craig Dobney call 01764 679196 or email him at CDobney@churchofscotland.org.uk.

Charity No: SC 001878

Dundurn Parish Church - Dundurn

Parish Church in the village of St Fillans is the linked charge with Comrie Parish Church. Sunday worship is at 11.30 am.

We have Awareness Day Events planned Wednesday, 3 June and Wednesday, 7 October this year. These events consist of twelve individual services who can offer information and advice on the day. We also have social work, New Rannoch - day care/ carers support and the Community Mental Health team attending.

The café is facilitated by the Health and Social Care Partnership and access to both services is available for information, advice, and signposting to other services available. People living with Dementia, their families, caregivers, friends, neighbours, and anyone looking to gain an insight into Dementia attend the monthly café. The café offers a warm, inviting, safe place where people can meet, socialise, gain information, and have some refreshments. All are welcome.

Comrie Snowdrops - Snowdrop season is over for this year, which can only mean one thing, spring is finally here!

Become a Hedgehog Champion

Become a Hedgehog Champion with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society/ Peoples’ Trust for Endangered Species.

It’s been a busy couple of months for us. During February and March we ended up planting nearly 60,000 snowdrops, which is a lot more than we first planned. It was hard work, but it’s going to pay off next year when we get to see them spring back to life. For the time being, we can enjoy the abundance of plants and flowers which are starting to bloom, thanks to the fantastic efforts of everyone at Comrie in Colour, who work so hard to keep our village looking amazing all year round. Now that our planting season is over, we’re giving ourselves a break from digging until autumn, when we’ll start planting again. Snowdrops are best planted in spring while ‘in the green’. This is just after the flower head starts to die back, but the leaves are still healthy. It gives them the best chance to establish a strong root system for the following year. It’s slightly more labour intensive but well worth the effort. When we start planting again in autumn it will be with dormant bulbs, which are a little easier for us to plant, but they’ll still wake up in time to flower early next year. In the meantime, we’ll be holding a few fundraising events so we can buy more bulbs for the next round of planting. Every bit of support helps and goes straight back into the project. Please come along to support us if you can.

The Legacy Book is also coming along nicely. The handwritten pages are starting to fill up with notes about where bulbs were planted, who sponsored them, and the stories behind some of the dedications. It’s turning into a lovely record of everyone’s involvement.

Thanks again to everyone who’s helped, donated, or just cheered us on. We’re looking forward to a bit of a breather, then getting stuck back in once autumn rolls around.

If you would like to know more, please visit our website, comriesnowdrops.org.uk or follow Comrie Snowdrops on Facebook.

How long is it since you last saw a hedgehog? They are now officially classed as vulnerable to extinction in the UK. There are many reasons and it’s sad to think of such a fate for this unique and prickly little creature.

You can become a Hedgehog Champion by registering on www.hedgehogstreet.org.

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Tayside and Strathearn help for ukraine

We would like to thank everyone who has delivered vital items to the various collection points or indeed to Errol during this particularly cold period. It is only by receiving these heartfelt donations of goods and money that we can continue to send a 40 ft articulated lorry to Ukraine every fortnight. When it arrives, we receive photos of families choosing essential items to cook, wear or swallow eg, paracetamol or aspirin. We are now trying to send appealing extras that might lighten their load eg, hand cream, Vaseline, Lip salve, Emery boards etc. The Ukrainians’ Wish List remains unaltered. Our next idea to help them illuminate their long nights is by making candles. We have plenty of candles to melt down but are advised to use small bake bean or small corn cans and would be very grateful if, after enjoying the above, you could put them into the collection points.

Crieff collection point - Thank you to all those who have contributed already and welcome to those who would like to do so now. Adventist Church ADRA warehouse, Gwydyr Road, Crieff, PH7 4BS. Opening hours - Tuesdays until Tuesday, 7 April,

from 6 pm to 7 pm. If you would like to donate, please find us on this email address: info@tash4ukraine. org.uk.

VisionPK - Comrie - VisionPK support a regular group in Comrie for people with a visual or hearing impairment. We have been running for over a year now, meeting up for a chat and some refreshments. People working or living in the community have been invited along to chat with us about their work or interests.

If you would like to volunteer at the group, or come along as an attendee, then please get in touch, we would appreciate community support.

Our meetings in Comrie are in: The Lounge, Cameron Court, Almond Place, Comrie PH6 2BB. We meet every second Tuesday of the month from 10 am until 11.30 am. Tel: 01738 626969 info@visionpk.org.uk

Comrie Cancer Support - We are a group which meets regularly to offer mutual support to anyone affected by cancer. We have coffee etc., we chat, we share, and we learn from each other’s experiences through what can sometimes be a difficult time for the sufferer, their spouse, and for other friends and family members. All are welcome. And we are finding the meetings warm and dynamic, working as we had hoped.

We meet on the second last Tuesday of each month throughout the year in Comrie and Dundurn Church Hall Annexe - 5.30 pm - 7 pm.

Any further information can be obtained by calling: Agnes Drysdale on 07732 345675 or Lorna Ramsay on 07789 9878385.

Sing-A-Long - Comrie - Sing-a-long is now in its 13th year. If you haven’t come to take part yet…maybe now is the right time….we sing well known, good old fashioned songs (words provided), enjoy afternoon tea and have a chance to have a chat with old and new friends. We meet in Comrie and Dundurn Parish Church on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 2 pm. If you would like more details just phone 07707 727137 or 01764 670570

Strathearn Talking News

Strathearn Talking News is your local talking newspaper. We are volunteers who read and record onto USB the Strathearn Herald, the local newspaper for Crieff and District. We also read and record onto USB the monthly magazine The Crieff and Comrie Quair. A USB may be more familiarly known as a memory stick.

Strathearn Talking News is a Charity (SCO 15628) and in 2014 the Charity received a grant from Awards for All to go digital. Prior to that the newspaper was recorded and copied onto cassettes. We are proud to say that Strathearn Talking News has been providing a service for nearly 35 years for those in our community with a visual impairment and who find reading difficult. We provide a USB player. It is a small lightweight box no larger than a box of tissues. It runs off the mains electricity but it can also run on a battery which is automatically charged when the player is plugged into the mains. This makes it very easy to take into other areas of the house. The yellow on/off dial at the front is also an excellent volume control. The dial and the forward/back/pause buttons are yellow to make them more vis-

ible. The service we provide is completely free. We record and copy from our own homes on a weekly rota, 52 weeks of the year. Listeners to Strathearn Talking News hear local news concerning Crieff and the surrounding villages. We record all the news items, letters to the Editor, Intimations, Planning Applications, reports from local Clubs and Organisations, a calendar of events, as well as the main feature in the newspaper that week. We also do our best to describe photographs!

The Crieff and Comrie Quair is an open access monthly magazine and carries articles on a variety of interesting topics. We record and copy it onto our weekly USB once a month.

E: info@strathearntalkingnews.org

T: Maureen Anderson 01764 652406

W: www.strathearntalking news.org

What to expect from a complimentary hearing assessment at The Edinburgh Hearing Practice

Most hearing centers will measure the quietest sounds that you can hear and based on this will make a recommendation. Although this type of hearing test provides useful information, by no means does it provide a full picture, we hear with our ears but it is our brain that understands speech! With this in mind, we have designed our test protocol to ensure that we measure your exact individual issues.

First and foremost, we will listen to you. Hearing loss is personal and we take the time to listen to your experience.

We recommend that you bring someone with you as they can often provide useful information and support. Our hearing assessments usually take about 90 minutes.

We will ask some medical related questions so that we have a good understanding of your general health and history. Next we will examine your ears. We have the latest technology and can show you images of your ears on a screen if you are interested in seeing exactly what we are looking at.

We thoroughly check your ears using state of the art video equipment and keep the images on your records so we can keep track of your ear health.

We thoroughly check your ears using state of the art video equipment and keep the images on your records so keep track of your ear health.

If your ears are blocked with wax your hearing test will not be accurate. You’re in safe hands at the Edinburgh Hearing

If your ears are blocked with wax your hearing tes accurate. You’re in safe hands at the Edinburgh Hearing

very latest audiometric equipment to record the quietest sounds that you can hear, but also importantly, the way that

very latest audiometric equipment to record the qui sounds that you can hear, but also importantly, the

both quiet and in the presence of the dreaded background noise.

Where appropriate, we perform tympanometry to check how the middle ear is working (this is a really simple comfortable test, and is nothing to be nervous about).

At each stage we will explain the results really thoroughly to you and make sure that everything is completely clear.

Occasionally we may feel that onward referral is required – this is unusual, but you can trust us to always do the right thing.

Occasionally we may feel that onward referral is required – this is unusual, but you can trust us to alway the right thing.

Our care plans are bespoke and suited around your individual needs and preferences. All our hearings aids are available to trial for 30 days at no cost. We believe that the proof is in the pudding!

We are a family owned and run business and we love what we do. Trust your hearing to us! Gullane 01620 493000 Auchterarder 01764 219000 Edinburgh 0131 629 1819 4 Stanley Road, Gullane, East Lothian EH31 2AD or 63 High Street Auchterarder PH3 1BN

Crieff Banking Hub - The Crieff Banking Hub is now operating from its permanent home at 17 High Street, Crieff, PH7 3HU. The Hub is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm. A Community Banker from your own bank is available on these days: Monday: Santander, 9 am to 4 pm, Tuesday: Virgin Money, 9.15 am to 4.45 pm Wednesday: TSB, 9 am to 5 pm, Thursday: Royal Bank of Scotland, 10 am to 5 pm, Friday: Bank of Scotland, 9 am to 5 pm. When the Hub is open, you can use counter services to withdraw or deposit cash, pay in cheques, check your balance, top up utilities and more.

Please note - Community Bankers may be unavailable over lunchtime as they take a break. Always check up to date details at www.cashaccess.co.uk/hubs/crieff-perth-and-kinross

Crieff Macular Support Group

Crieff Macular Support Group is here to help anyone who has macular degeneration or any form of sight loss. Everyone is welcome at this small friendly group.

Crieff Community Garden - Calling all community builders, lovers of nature, people and the planet. Help is needed to restore and refresh the Crieff Community Garden to its former glory, to recreate a safe welcoming area for all; a place of peace and purpose, of beauty and connection. This is a space open for the community, run by the community. It is the perfect place for schools, both primary and secondary, for local businesses, families and friends and individuals to become involved and learn, through nature, about the growth of co-operation and co-habitation. As a garden flourishes so do we. On a practical level a secretary and a co-ordinator are urgently needed, as well as willing helpers, who can offer an hour or so here and there to prune, weed and plant. All ages, abilities, beliefs and backgrounds are welcome. Please step up and become part of a caring community group who have spent thousands of hours over the last few years creating this vibrant, living space which now needs to be restored and maintained. Let’s show a world that seems to be collapsing that a better place can be built from the grassroots (literally) up! Please contact Catriona on 07743 113140 or Diana on 07552 312386 or join us in the garden on Wednesday evenings from 6 pm to 8 pm, weather permitting, and until the days shorten.

PADS - PADS

(Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society) is a well-loved, long established local dog rescue charity with kennels at Forteviot.

Our aim is to provide care and shelter for the county’s unwanted dogs and to find them new loving homes. Our kennels, which were renovated in recent years, can house up to thirty animals in warmth and comfort.

We meet at the Small Hall of St Andrew’s Parish Church of Scotland, Strathearn Terrace, Crieff PH7 3AQ from 10 am to 12 pm on the first Monday of the month. We often have speakers, on a wide range of topics connected with the local community, sight or general interest. It can be helpful to meet other people who have problems with their sight and we enjoy the social interaction at the meetings over tea/coffee and biscuits. We would welcome new members and would encourage anyone interested to join us. Friends, family members and carers are welcome at the group too.

If you know of someone in another area how might benefit from their local Macular Society Support Group, please let me know. For more information about the Crieff Macular Society Support Group, if you would like to come to the meetings or help with the group or if you have any questions, please contact Laura Gray, Senior Regional Manager, Macular Society on 07948 352967 or email laura.gray@macularsociety.org.

We provide veterinary care for the sick and injured amongst our strays and we have a small hospital unit which is used for the recovery of animals who have had operations. It also contains a ‘mother and baby unit’ where new mums can care for their puppies in a safe and relaxed environment. See www.padsdogrescue.com for further information.

What is a Quair? (noun) (1) A quire; a book. The Kingis Quhair, James I. (of Scotland). (2) A set of twenty-four sheets of paper of the same size and stock; one twentieth of a ream. (3) A collection of leaves of parchment or paper, folded one within the other, in a manuscript or book. (Middle English quayer, four double sheets of paper, from Old French quaer, from Vulgar Latin *quaternus, from Latin quatern, set of four, four each, from quater, four times;

The Kingis Quhair is a fifteenth-century poem attributed to James I of Scotland. It is a semi-autobiographical work, describing the King’s capture by the English in 1406 on his way to France and his subsequent imprisonment by Henry IV of England and his successors Henry V and Henry VI.

The Arts Society Tayside - Our lecture season at Birnam Arts continues and on March 9 we learned about The Secrets of Ancient Doors from James Wright. On Monday, 13 April, Paul Roberts talks to us on Ancient Faces, Flinders Petrie and the Mummy Portraits of Ancient Egypt, and on Monday, 11 May, Ian Keable speaks on Charles Dickens, Conjurer. On Monday, 8 June, Emma Johnson concludes our main lecture season for 2025-6 with Comedy Classical: How Composers Make Us Laugh. We are in the process of developing our summer visits programme, with reservations now being taken for our Wednesday, 20 May coach visit to Arniston House and Rosslyn Chapel.

Other house and garden visits are being planned; details will follow. For more information, please contact tastvisits@gmail. com or pick up the information sheet at our next Birnam Arts lecture.

J.R Schad

TREE CARE LTD

● All tree work carried out throughout Scotland to BS: 3998

● Stumps ground out

● Hedge Trimming

● Trees & Shrubs Supplied

● Trained, Qualified, Insured

Our programme for 2026-7 is under preparation and will include a special interest day on silver from well-known Antiques Roadshow silver expert Gordon Foster in October. The Arts Society Tayside is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run society, dedicated to providing its members with enjoyable and approachable experiences in the arts, and supporting local good causes related to art. Each year we offer our 300 members ten absorbing and accessible morning or afternoon lectures on the second Monday of the month at Birnam Arts on a wide variety of topics, as well as a range of house, garden and gallery visits and interesting add-on days and lectures. For those unable to make the journey to Birnam, we are now offering live Zoom links to our lectures so you can watch from your own home if you wish. Please visit our website to see the full programme: theartssocietytayside.org.uk. You can join us for the balance of our 2025/26 season for a reduced membership of £45, which includes admission to the remaining lectures and gives access to our other lecture and visit programmes. Come and join us! You can contact us at tastmembership@ gmail.com or 01350 724232.

Kaimes Cottage, Braco, Dunblane, FK15

Strathearn Arts - Strathearn Arts (Strathearn Artspace SC044319) is a registered charity which aims to promote and advance the arts, culture and heritage through participation and enjoyment of the creative arts.

We strive to deliver vibrant, inclusive, memorable arts experiences and we want everyone who engages with us to feel that. Driven by our programme, facilities, and through our coordinating role in the local artistic community, Strathearn has developed a wide reputation as a cultural destination. See www. strathearnarts.org for more details.

Richmond Community - Our weekly health walk meets at Crieff Community Hospital, King Street, Crieff, at 10.30 am every Thursday. After each walk, participants are invited to gather in the day room for refreshments and a chat. The walks are beginner-friendly, with a shorter 30 to 45 minute route and a longer walk lasting just over an hour. Both are led by trained walk leaders, and the programme is Dementia Accredited.

Health Walks on Tour will be on Thursday, 2 April with a visit to The Kelpies in Falkirk. Patsy will once again be providing her homemade cakes for refreshments. To join the bus trips, please attend our regular Thursday walks.

Our Friendship Group meets every second Friday at Crieff Community Hospital from 10.30 am to 12 pm. Upcoming sessions include a butterfly-making workshop for June McEwan’s latest project on Friday, 3 April, and a games morning on Friday, 17 April. Everyone is welcome to come along, join in, chat, and enjoy a cup of tea.

Richmond Community also runs the Carers Café, held on the second Thursday of each month at Crieff Community Hospital. The next meeting will be on Thursday, 9 April. The café offers unpaid carers the chance to meet one another and speak with representatives from organisations including Perth & Kinross Council, PKAVS, and Carers Voice over a cup of cuppa and biscuits. For more information on any of these activities, please contact Karen Hapka at karen@richmondcommunity.org or 07587 088403.

Probus Club Auchterarder - You are invited to join Auchterarder Probus Club which is a social forum providing fellowship and friendship for like-minded people. It is not affiliated to a central organising body.

We are a broad church with retired and semi-retired professional people and others and comprise farmers, ministers, senior armed forces people, surgeons and marketing folk and engineers from a wide background. You will be most welcome.

We meet twice a month in the winter and once a month in the summer. Meetings are held in the Auchterarder Golf Club and start at 12 noon with lunch at 12.30 pm followed by a guest speaker.

Future speakers include Members of Parliament, Senior Officers from our Navy and Army plus local traders who want to tell their story. If you are interested in joining us please contact our Press Officer by email at forbesmcnaughton@icloud.com

Strathearn Harriers - Full details of all club races and events are on the club website at www.strathearnharriers.org.uk. The club welcomes runners of all standards. Crieff and Comrie are great places for running, particularly if you like trails and hills.

RSABI (previously The Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution)

RSABI is a unique Scottish charity with roots going back to 1897.

To learn a little more about how RSABI operates, please see the website at www.rsabi.org.uk

Cultybraggan Camp

History Project

The Project was founded in 2017 to pre serve the history and the fabric of the camp, working wherever possible with the camp owners at the time. Our mem bers include academics and volunteers who are dedicated to investigate and doc ument in central resources all aspects of the camp’s past. We believe the camp is of importance to the nation and not just the local village.

It is our ambition to create an online fund of knowledge to be preserved for hun dreds of years and beyond. This includes all stories, documents, photographs and images, which will be assembled into a virtual museum. There may also be a vir tual guided tour of the camp showing the various artefacts as one explores and pos sibly an ‘App’ for mobile phones. We continue in discussion with other organisations doing similar work to us, which is proving mutually beneficial. We are very conscious that a lot of currently existing web material is vanishing, to be lost forever. Those digital records and stories will prove very interesting in hun dreds of years’ time. We are working with groups and universities to endeavour to create permanent national reservoirs of all this material.

Our members are the experts at guiding tours, giving talks and supporting authors, historians and filmmakers, allowing them direct access to our resources and personnel. Now in our eighth year, we provide illustrated talks to many groups including organisations and institutes, colleges, schools, Probus, Rotary and Local History clubs. We can do these in person or online and in hybrid situations with an audience and online. We are planning a series of free online talks over winter - see the Events page of our website. If you’d like one of our talks delivered personally, please email us at tours@ camp21.org.uk.

There is a wealth of information for the public to view and download on our website at camp21.org.uk.

CENTRAL HOME ALARMS

Established 1981

Tayside’s First SSAIB Registered Company. Reg. No. Tays 001

Security Alarms

Installed, Repaired, Serviced & Updated.

Phone Bob Anderson on 01764 670540

Founder member of IAAI

Cycle Crieff - Our aim is to support all aspects of cycling in the area. We’re not a shop; we’re an inclusive community helping everyone.

What we do

Routes, Repairs & Reuse/donations*Affordable access to cycling: Low-cost or free bikes are provided through donations, recycling & rebuilding. In 2025 we renovated 128! In the first 3 months of 2026 we have saved 52 bikes from landfill! Many now serviced! Free Bikes! Need a bike but limited funds? We can help!

*Repairs & Workshop Support: A flexible community workshop offers servicing, self-repair space, guidance from highly qualified mechanics, and donated parts such as lights. *Routes & Riding Community: Over 150 events in 2025. Rides focus on inclusion and social connection. Trips included Ossian, Moray and more. *Training & Education: ongoing ‘look after your bike’ workshops with cubs, schools, refugees and Cadets. In-house training and Velotech funding. *Volunteering & Community Partnerships: we have a fair number of volunteers dropping in. We welcome those able to make a flexible commitment, we provide full training and support. Also a bike and kit at no cost, to long term volunteers! Get in touch, to join our active social Charity.

Crieff Community A’ (easy social), ‘B’ & ‘C’ Rides (time trials!) - There are regular bi-monthly social rides and rides instigated by local riders which will be continuing until Christmas. The first bi-monthly social ride on March 8 was a great success with a lovely stop at Farmton Honesty hut! Fiona’s route was very popular. April’s social rides are Sunday, 12 April hosted by Mark/Neil and Saturday, 25 April hosted by Gordon M/Andrew B. Rides are booking up quickly with many keen to do the Belach na Ba and the Crieff Grand Fondo, in May! There is also interest in Islay for August and ‘Ride of the falling rain’! There is also a Monty Python themed multi-day loop being planned! Time trials will be start-

ing soon and it’s all about you against you! Couch to 50km & Fife Coastal - Graeme is hosting a lively and very social bunch who are working their way up to 50km of riding. It’s great fun with lovely café stops and chat. The Coastal route was 4 separate day adventures which saw 8 riders taking part and ably hosted by Graeme, who was recognised for his efforts by Fife Coast & Countryside Trust with a certificate! Finally - Warm places saw 10 sessions, 42 adult and 55 young people visits. Activities ranged from chain replacement to tubeless repairs! Of course we all became experts at consuming Damsel pastries! We are going to offer similar post Easter sessions. Again on Sunday afternoons so contact us, if you fancy popping along and getting to know your bike and biking better! Free bike inspections as well!

Please get in touch if you want to know more or get involved in our adventures! Visit our website www.cyclecrieff.scot/ about.html Facebook www.facebook.com/ profile.php?id=100067081600855

Email - cyclecrieff@yahoo.com (Scottish Charity No. SC054428)

The Crieff & Comrie Quair

is published by SCOT ACTIVE LTD

with a registered office address of 26/30 Bonnethill Road, Pitlochry, PH16 5BS Company Number SC854228

tel/text: 07436 793785

e: crieffandcomrie@thequair.com

Perth and Kinross Council

Crieff Area Office 01738 476000

Council Main Reception 01738 475000

Registrars - by appointment 01764 657850

useful numbers

Crieff Community Hospital 01764 653173

Police Scotland 101 infinityblu Dental 01764 650480

Crieff Vet Services 01764 652086

Flying Smiles Dental Hygienist 07812 055724

Advertising Information

Please note that all advertisements carried by The Crieff & Comrie Quair are done so with the understanding that any claims, statements or information given are the sole responsibility of the advertiser in question. We cannot be held liable for any commercial or consumer disputes, problems or difficulties arising from their workmanship or services.

Editorial and Event Information

All of our listed events are published in good faith. However, for a variety of reasons, things can sometimes change. This edition of The Crieff & Comrie Quair was sent for print on Saturday, 14 March 2026. Please therefore always check times and venues of events listed in The Crieff & Comrie Quair independently before going. We cannot be held liable for any mistakes, typographical or otherwise, by ourselves or changes made by Event Organisers.

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Blair Castle & Gardens

Open Monday to Sunday, 10am - 5pm.

(Last entry to the castle 3:45pm) £1 Entry with

Take a self-guided tour of Blair Castle & Gardens and experience 30 beautifully preserved rooms, before strolling through the stunning 9-acre walled garden.

Exciting new exhibitions

Explore A Costume Drama, bringing together original historic costumes from the castle’s attics alongside iconic pieces from film and television. Plus, don’t miss a special commemorative display honouring geologist James Hutton; a curated selection of sculptures, drawings and artefacts marking his tercentenary.

What’s on

Easter Ranger Events Easter Half Term

Enjoy action-packed activities, crafts, and walks with Ranger Julia

Easter Sunday Fun Day 5th April

Easter activities including an egg hunt and tractor rides

Spring Foraging 23rd and 24th May

Learn the art of foraging at Blair Castle & Gardens

Book your tickets online today.

Atholl Highlanders Parade & Gathering 23rd and 24th May

Annual Atholl Highlanders Parade and Highland Games

• We are separate from the RSPCA who cover England and Wales only.

• We receive no government funding.

Please help us care for Scotland’s animals

Crieff Rotary - In last month’s edition of The Quair we told of the success so far of Alasdair Haines in the 2025-26 Young Chef competition and reported that he had qualified to take part in the Scottish final at Stirling in March. Unfortunately, the current editorial date was ahead of that stage, so we can only promise to report how he got on in next month’s Quair

If Alasdair won that event, then he will follow in his brother’s footsteps by heading off to the RIGBI 2026 final.

Also occurring in March was our popular Primary School Quiz, scheduled to be held at the Strathearn Community Campus towards the end of the month.

Two teams (P6 and P7) from each of several local primary schools were planning to take part with last year’s winner, Morrison’s Academy P7, no doubt fighting to retain the Ross-Bell Quaich ahead of strong competition from the other challengers. Again, we will report the result in next month’s Quair.

We have now selected our two participants to join the 2026 RYLA (Rotary Young Leaders Award) camp at the Abernethy Adventure Centre in Strathspey. RYLA is aimed at teaching youngsters aged 16 or 17 good leadership skills through various adventurous activities and has always been hailed as a great success by those who have benefitted from their week at Abernethy. Both of this year’s candidates are from Crieff High School and will be heading north in July to the separate girls’ and boys’ camps.

As always, the aim of every Rotarian is to help those who are somewhat disadvantaged compared with ourselves, but we still need more like-minded people to join us - and those who do will find it both rewarding and fun to be a Rotarian!

Crieff Rotarians continue to meet twice a month at the friendly Meadow Inn in Burrell Street. For further information about Crieff Rotary, please scan this QR code, or visit its website, or email the Secretary at Secretary@crieff.rotary1010.org.

Rannoch History Society

Friday 24th April, 7.30 pm, Kinloch Rannoch Village Hall.

The Rannoch History Society is pleased to welcome Dr Nicola Small, delivering a talk entitled Interesting and intriguing lives - early Duchesses of Atholl, and their notable connections RHS annual Membership £15 per person, £5 per person admittance if not a member. Post-talk drinks and nibbles included.

Further information and any updates will be available on the Rannoch History Society Facebook Page.

Aberfeldy Farmers’ Market and Arts and Craft Fair

We are kicking off markets this year on Sunday, 5 April. Come along to the square between 10 am and 2 pm and see what is for sale this year! We have some interesting new offerings as well as the usual tasty delights. The Arts and Craft Fair will be inside on the mezzanine floor of the Birks Cinema. We hope that you will be able to have coffee, brunch or lunch at one of the many super cafés and visit some of our lovely independent shops open on Sunday.

For further details of the Farmers’ Market email aberfeldymarket@gmail.com or for the Art Fair email lynn@breaghaglass.com.

The copy date for the May 2026 edition of The Crieff & Comrie Quair is noon on Wednesday, 8 April. The magazines will be distributed week commencing Monday, 27 April.

Crieff Trefoil - Crieff Trefoil continues to meet throughout the year on the fourth Monday monthly - indoors over the winter and at various locations outdoors over the summer months. Our indoor autumn/ winter sessions began recently and are held at St Columba’s Episcopal Church, when meetings will once again this year be full of surprise activities.

Each year we are tasked by UK Trefoil with attracting only one new member to each of our Guilds - could you be that one new member? Crieff Trefoil is a small, active, fun group but play an active part in the bigger Perth & Kinross County, Scotland and the UK with national and international opportunities, eg holidays at home and abroad, available for all members - why not give us a try?

For further information Crieff Trefoil can be contacted by email at criefftrefoilguild@ gmail.com or by making an enquiry via the Trefoil Guild website www.trefoilguild. co.uk. Trefoil Guild Scotland and Trefoil Guild UK have public Facebook pages and are also on Instagram where you can see much of the fun activities we get up toyou may be surprised!

Crieff Lunch Club - Crieff Lunch Club is run under the auspices of the Royal Voluntary service and staffed by a brilliant group of volunteers from Crieff and district.

We meet in Duchlage Court in Crieff every Thursday lunchtime in term time, and provide a 2 course lunch and tea and biscuits for a very modest cost. It is a great opportunity for folk living alone to come along, meet others and have a hot meal together. Transport to the lunch for those who live out with Duchlage Court can be arranged through Bertie bus. We are always looking for new clients and, of course, new volunteers to join our teams of volunteer helpers for about 2 hours, once a month. If you are interested in coming along or volunteering for the lunch club, please contact the RVS office in Perth on 01738 633975 or email at perthsupportingyou@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk.

THE PLANT NURSERY KINDALLACHAN

Countlich Farm, Kindallachan, Near Ballinliug, PH9 0NW www.alexbutter.co.uk | 07554 008058 nursery@alexbutter.co.uk

The nursery is located just off the A9 at Kindallachan only 6 miles north of Dunkeld

Ruthvenfield

Crieff and Strathearn Museum

Cross Paths with History

The Story so far! The museum began as the long-term ambition of Ann Mackintosh, who worked tirelessly to turn a concept into reality. Since 2016, Ann and a dedicated board of trustees have navigated the complexities of establishing a museum for Strathearn. Though the project faced a significant delay during the 2020-2021 pandemic, momentum returned in 2023 when a lease for the Old Town Hall in the centre of Crieff was signed with Perth and Kinross Council.

After receiving the keys in September 2023, the trustees had just seven months to secure funding and renovate the ground floor. Success came through the Perth and Kinross Community Led Local Development fund (CLLD) and the Gannochy Trust, which provided three years of revenue funding.

The core of the museum was built around a collection donated by retired local teacher Martin Boyle, with our main themes of The Drovers and The Railways developed by our trustee and amateur historian David Ferguson.

The doors to the museum officially opened on May 3, 2024, followed by a formal ceremony on May 24 featuring guest speaker Rory Stewart.

In its second year, the museum focused on the ‘Ann Mackintosh Room’ (the old upstairs council chamber). Local artist David Campbell was commissioned to create a high-impact, LED-lit historical timeline spanning from Mesolithic times to the present day. The installation of a museumquality display case and adjustable tracking for display boards was purchased, which now allows the museum to host sensitive artifacts and rotating exhibits.

The past year saw a surge in community interaction, with visitor numbers exceeding 3,000. The key highlights included a visit from the Crieff Girl Guides resulting in the Guides developing a display for 2026 on a 106-year anniversary as they missed their centenary due to Covid. Year 7 pupils from the Crieff Campus visited at the beginning of term and were shown all aspects of running a museum. The trustees have been delivering talks to several community groups in Auchterarder, Comrie and Crieff, and hosted a private tour of the museum to the Crieff Rotary Club.

Over the last two years we have received a steady stream of donations from the local community including books, objects, and papers which help us to continue to enrich the story of Strathearn. We were very grateful to everyone who lent us things to enhance last year’s displays.

The 2026 project, funded again by the CLLD, focused on the ‘hidden’ part of the museum: the basement. APEX Damp Proofing installed a specialised membrane and dehumidifying system to help maintain relative humidity below 70%, ensuring the safe, long-term storage of textiles and paper archives.

Special thanks go to all the Trustees for all the hard work they put into running the museum, our dedicated team of volunteers - without you we wouldn’t be able to open. We’d also like to thank The Library of Innerpeffray, Crieff Connexions, The Gannochy Trust, The CLLD team for all the support they have given us with the museum. The museum remains a community-led endeavour. You can help by:

Becoming a Member - £15 per annum (includes event discounts).

Volunteering - Our doors only stay open thanks to our dedicated volunteers.

Visiting - Come in and share your own stories of Strathearn.

CRIEFF & STRATHEARN MUSEUM

Comrie Community Woodland

Our Woodland lies on a north-facing hillside about 300 metres west of Cultybraggan Camp on south side of the road and is thriving. The 45-acre site was bought for the Community along with the Camp in 2007. Unique features are the irrigation system built in 1941 to supply water to the new POW camp below and the site’s overall shape - about 1 km long yet only 100 meters wide in places. It was mostly used for grazing until 2021 when about twenty thousand native varieties of tree were planted with hundreds more since.

Recently, reviews and studies of trees, plants, fungi, birds, insects, mammals and other creatures have taken place and the count of species now exceeds 500! Visitors see differences week by week from overall growth and natural effects of the seasons. Evidence of climate change can be perceived. Responsible visitors, subject to Scottish Outdoor Access Code are always encouraged to report their own findings or just enjoy the site and views. Third Sundays of each month are volunteering days when anyone is welcome to join us while we perform a variety of maintenance tasks. Projects include clearing paths, checking fencing, signage, bridges, benches and picnic tables and removal of vegetation threatening tree growth. We welcome volunteers of all ages and abilities with activities for children, accompanied by a responsible adult. Sessions start at 10 am and continue till about 3 pm with a break for lunch. We advise wearing sound, waterproof footwear and bringing a packed lunch

Colin Andrew Smith Architect . Treetops . Dull . Aberfeldy . PH15 2JQ 01887 820815 . colin@casarchitect.co.uk . www.casarchitect.co.uk

Heather Watson-Ross BSc (Hons) MCPod - Registered HCPC Podiatrist/Chiropodist

Ochils Podiatry offers a comprehensive range of podiatry/chiropody treatments.

For all enquiries please contact by: Telephone 01764 752252 Email info@ochilspodiatry.co.uk www.ochilspodiatry.co.uk

We are located within Davidsons Chemist, 54-56 High St, Auchterarder.

"Keeping the community on their feet"

Spanish with Marta

‣ Personalised private tuition for individuals or small groups

‣ Conversational classes - beginner to advanced levels

‣ Adult conversational evening classes on Tuesdays & Thursdays

‣ Classes for Nursery and Primary School children

‣ Tuition at any High School level

‣ Online lessons available

New course starting in April 2026:

★ Adult beginner group

New courses starting in August 2026:

★ After School Clubs for Nursery & Primary School children

Marta Pérez

Comrie

Web: www.spanishwithmarta.co.uk

Tel: 07709 150070

Email: myspanishtutormarta@gmail.com

Strathearn Ramblers

Sunday, 12 April - Stroll, Muckhart and Rumbling Bridge. Start Point: Coronation Hall, Pool of Muckhart (what3words: announce. snack.asterisk). Distance: 6.5 miles. Leave: Comrie Laggan Park 10 am, Crieff Co-op car park 10.15 am, Coronation Hall, Pool of Muckhart 10.45 am. Description: This lovely circular walk starts from the Pool of Muckhart, takes you past Muckhart Mill and through the Rumbling Bridge Gorge before returning to Muckhart via farm tracks. There is about 180m of ascent in total which is spread out across the walk making this pretty much a flat walk. The route is entirely on paths/tracks and quiet roads although some bits can be very muddy. Friday, 24 April - Walk, North Third Reservoir from the Bannockburn Centre. Start Point: Battle of Bannockburn Centre (what3words: plans.heave.slate). Distance: 9 miles. Leave: Laggan Park, Comrie 9 am, Crieff Co-op 9.15 am. Description: Starting from Battle of Bannockburn car park we cross the M9 following minor road passing Old Sauchie before climbing to the craggy escarpment of Lewis Hill with superb views all around. We then descend to North Third reservoir, walking round the shore before crossing the dam and coming down back through some woodland and passing by a fishery before rejoining the road leading back over the M9 and back to the car park. The route is on minor roads, tracks and paths which can be muddy, please wear appropriate footwear.

Interesting historical postcard - The contributor returns with another interesting tale concerning former Crieff native, the late David Jack of Monterey (1822-1909).

An old postcard recently unearthed has a photograph of the Crieff Hydropathic Hotel, and is addressed to ‘Mr David Jack(s) Esq Monterey, Monterey County, California, US America.’ (For reasons unknown, Jack added an s to his surname in the USA.) The postcard is postmarked: Crieff, July 23, 1907. There was no greeting on the card, or details of the sender. At that time, no messages were permitted on postcards destined for certain parts of the world. That stricture was relaxed in October 1907.

It was initially thought that Jack had sent

the postcard to himself as a souvenir of a final visit to his birthplace. The Hydro was a popular resort for wealthy visitors from around the world, who visited to partake of the innovative and therapeutic spa baths (hydrotherapy). The strict religious posture of the hotel at that time, with its no alcohol policy (which remained in place until 1994), suited Jack’s Scots Presbyterian background (he financed the building of ‘The First Presbyterian Church of Monterey’, and was a Sunday school teacher for 50 years).

Inquiries established that the postcard had been sent to Jack, by his niece Louisa, the daughter of Jack’s older half-brother, Peter, with whom he had kept up a regular correspondence, and had aided financially. In a letter to her uncle David, dated March 2, 1903, Louisa provided an update on the health of her ailing mother, Isabella. She also bemoaned the economic conditions of the country: ‘Business here in Stirling is very dull, nearly all the works are on short time and there are an awful lot of men going about idle. I think that the very bad weather we have had here, has something to do with it.’

Jack’s final visit to his hometown was actually in 1896, and as a wealthy American businessman, he is likely to have stayed at the Hydro. Unfortunately guest registers from that period are no longer extant. Jack had finally retired from the family business in Monterey a few weeks prior to the sending of the postcard, aged 85 years. It is satisfying to note that throughout his long life, and despite his immensely busy and successful career in Monterey, California, Jack never lost interest in his native town and his family resident there.

Army Cadets - Ever thought about giving the Army Cadets a go? We are a youth organisation for children aged 12 to 18, run by volunteers, giving children opportunities to enhance their sports, try new things, and learn skills out in the field. We are also active DofE leaders, supporting everyone wishing to take part. Currently parading on a Wednesday in Meadow Place, Crieff, from 7 pm to 9 pm or in Auchterarder on Mondays from 7 pm to 9 pm. We are always looking for girls and boys to join and see what we can offer you. Check out our poster below with a QR code, which will give anyone who is interested more information to see what it’s all about. We hope to see many of you soon!

Culture Perth and Kinross Libraries

Strathearn Community Library

The Gaelic Community Group - Meet in the library to practise and develop spoken Gaelic in a friendly and informal setting. The group welcomes participants of all skill levels-from complete beginners to fluent speakers who are looking to maintain and share their knowledge. Sessions focus on conversation, confidence-building, and celebrating the Gaelic language within the community. These monthly sessions will occur on the last Saturday of the month starting Saturday, 25 April.

Bookbug sessions - These fun, interactive sessions are suitable for pre-schoolers from baby years. Sessions are held every Thursday, including school holidays, from 10.30 am to 11 am. No need to book.

Enchanted Tales - Starting Saturday, 11 April, join us at our weekly Enchanted Tales Storytime session, which will take your child on fantastical journeys, show them magical places and introduce them to extraordinary characters. This is a time for children to relax, listen to the magic of stories, inspire their imagination and develop a love of reading. Suitable for children 4-7 years. Every Saturday from 11 am to 11.30 am. Tangled Yarns - Connect, share and learn with our friendly, informal knitting group. Needles and yarns are available for beginners or those re-engaging with the craft. Meets every Tuesday from 2 pm to 3.30 pm.

Café Books - Do you love to read? Join us at our informal Café Books session to find new authors, share your own favourite books and be inspired to read more. If you sign up for our Café Books emailing list, you will be sent regular monthly lists of the titles discussed. Café Books is held at the library on the first Saturday of every month from 11 am to 12.30 pm.

Family history - Are you interested in researching your family history? Join our Family History Group. This informal session meets every fortnight on a Friday morning from 10 am. Using your own device is recommended, but laptops are available if required. These sessions are free. Please contact the library for more information. Books on Wheels - For individuals in the

Comrie and Crieff area who cannot get out and about to visit the library, books can be delivered straight to your door each month. For more information, please get in touch with Strathearn Community Library.

Bertie Bus - Provides a monthly trip to Strathearn Community Library, finishing with tea or coffee at the Steading Café. Please contact the Secretary of Strathcare on 07716 119414 for more information.

Opening hours - Tuesday: 10 am to 7 pm; Wednesday: 10 am to 6 pm; Thursday: 10 am to 7 pm; Friday: 10 am to 6 pm; Saturday: 10 am to 1 pm. Contact us - 01764 657705; strathearnlibrary@culturepk.org.uk

We are pleased to announce the date for Fowlis Wester Village Charity Plant Sale, this year the plant sale and coffee morning will be held on Saturday, 16 May there will be more details to follow but rest assured there will be the usual wide array of perennials, veggies, annuals and much more. We look forward to welcoming you to raise funds for the Hall and another local charity.

Comrie Heritage Group (CHG) CHG plays a vital role in preserving and celebrating the vibrant history of Comrie and its surroundings. Our role includes conserving and interpreting the history of Cultybraggan Camp. Cultybraggan is Scotland’s only re-

maining prisoner of war camp and its role is multifaceted. Initially it served as a labour camp for Italian prisoners of war until Italy surrendered in 1943. In 1944 it became a camp for German POWs, including soldiers, submariners and airmen. After the war, many of these men remained and underwent a programme of denazification before being returned home. Some returned later in their lives to revisit the camp and to meet again the friends they had made in Comrie. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) eventually took over the camp, using it as a training facility for TA, regular soldiers, and cadets. In 2007 Comrie Development Trust acquired the camp from the MoD. Cultybraggan Museum - The museum, located in the Jail Block, opened in 2021. It provides insights into the daily lives of prisoners and showcases storyboards detailing camp life and interactions between prisoners and Comrie villagers. The Museum will reopen from 10 am until 4 pm on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays starting on Good Friday, 3 April. It will also be open on Easter Monday. While there is no entrance fee, donations, which will enable us to continue running the museum would be greatly appreciated.

Guided Tours - CHG offers guided tours of Cultybraggan Camp for which it suggests the following donations - Adults: £10. Children over 10 years: £5. Educational Groups: £2 per person: Groups of more than 12 adults: £8 per person. To arrange a tour please contact us at comrieheritagegroup@gmail.com.

How can you get involved - If you would like to become a volunteer, helping to organise events, welcome visitors to the museum or conduct guided tours please contact us at comrieheritagegroup@gmail.com. By supporting the Comrie Heritage Group you contribute to the rich tapestry of Comrie’s past and ensure that its legacy lives on.

Fowlis Wester Village Hall

Friends of Crieff Cemetery - Friends of Crieff Cemetery would like to invite community members to get involved with our very inclusive volunteer group. We are partnered with Perth & Kinross Council’s Friends of Cemeteries Initiative for the upkeep of Crieff Cemetery in Ford Road in Crieff. Our projects past and present include bench restoration, planter maintenance, fountain restoration, war grave research and tours, and raising funds for a defibrillator positioned in Ford Road. Running parallel with these projects is the general maintenance of the burial ground and surrounds. We are a constituted group with regular meetings, and we would like to hear from you if any of our activities interest you. For a more comprehensive view of Friends of Crieff Cemetery, please visit www. friendsofcrieffcemetery.blog. Drop us a message at www.facebook.com/CrieffCem; email focc1858@ gmail.com; or call 07826 191757.

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Comrie & St Fillans Music Circle

Meetings are held at the Rural Hall Comrie, meeting between 12 pm and 12.30 pm on a Tuesday (But never the second Tuesday in the month) which is then followed by a light lunch and the subject for the day. Regardless of the programme of the day we are finished at no later than 4 pm.

We return on Tuesday, 22 September (please put this date in your diary now) with a further 10 programmes ending on Tuesday, 15 December. Sessions will take place on 22 September and 29 September; 6 October, 20 October and 27 October; 3 November, 17 November and 24 November; and 1 December and 15 December.

A full programme for the autumn is being finalised regarding speakers and subjects but I know that it is going to be an excellent set of events. Membership is open to both male and female. We are a friendly club and all are welcome. New members are more than welcome. Please come along and give us a try. For further information please contact Malcolm Gregory on 01764 670493 or 07752 498187.

Comrie Probus Club - For all meetings we shall meet at the Comrie Parish Church Hall at 10.30 am for Tea and coffee followed by the speaker of the day terminating at 12 pm.

Crieff Probus Club - The speaker at Crieff Probus Club in March, was Brian Wilton, chairperson of Crieff Community Council (CCC). His talk dealt with four ongoing projects, namely, *The Drummond Arms Hotel; *The Crieff Public Toilets (or lack thereof); *An allotment scheme for Crieff; *The old golf shop in the Town Square.

The first of these is a live and controversial issue in Crieff. Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) has proposed demolition and replacement with social housing. However, in a local survey in September last year, organised by CCC, the local view was that the PKC proposal, which the residents of Crieff had not been consulted on, was inappropriate for the town. That resulted in front page coverage in the local press. The only response from PKC, by a LibDem Councillor, was frankly, insulting. The old hotel has very special meaning for many in Crieff and it is thought its memory should be preserved in whatever replaces it. Historic Scotland has entered the debate and has requested more detail from PKC before any change can be undertaken. To maintain the historical link, it is suggested that the front façade be retained, at least in part if it’s impractical to demolish the entire structure. Brian Wilton emphasised that Crieff residents must be included in any consultations and not sidelined.

Crieff Public Toilets were closed by PKC without any local input to the decision.

place to go, with appropriate signage. Brian also pointed out that for the campaign to be successful, financial pledges from both Crieff residents and shopkeepers will be essential, but that it was in everyone’s interest that the campaign succeed.

We now have approximately 500 new houses in Crieff with few additional amenities and little cultivatable ground available for them. CCC has suggested that ground owned by PKC near Aldi’s, suitable for approximately 100 allotments, be used for a development to be known as Crieff Railway Allotments. PKC is not averse to this proposal. This project is in its early stages.

The old golf shop in the Town Square is one of the oldest buildings in Crieff but is, frankly, an eyesore. The owner has no plans to halt its decay. PKC has been silent on the issue. CCC has suggested taking out a compulsory purchase order to motivate the owner to take some action but so far this course of action has not been initiated. The estimated value of the property is about £120,000 but considerably more would be needed to restore or reconfigure the interior. Clearly action is needed to present an attractive venue in the centre of town.

Everyone is welcome to come to meetings, which are held on the first and third Tuesday of the month.

Our coming autumn programme is being compiled as we speak and will be under our new Chairman Mr John Southorn. We shall recommence in September with 6 meetings between September and December followed by a further 6 meetings between January and March 2027 - exact dates to be advised shortly.

Our membership is open to both male and female, and all are welcome, so come and try us out.

If further information is required, please contact either Judith Rogers on H 01764 679727; M 07772 967160 or Malcolm Gregory on H 01764 670493; M 07752 498187.

A survey by CCC received 721 responses strongly in favour of reopening the toilets. One stumbling block is the cost of manning them (£32,000 per year). CCC has proposed that instead of an attendant there should be an auto entrance (one off cost £24,000) but this suggestion has not been accepted. Crieff has a significant population of both senior citizens and visitors to the town, and the current lack of Public Toilets can limit their freedom to walk and shop comfortably in the town. Brian explained that CCC has initiated a campaign against the closure. Accordingly, they propose to recruit an old Scottish term to invigorate the campaign and that in future the toilets will be known as The Crieff Cludgie - The

Meetings start at 10 am with tea and coffee, the main talk begins at 10.30 am and finishes no later than 11.45 am. Meetings are held in The Royal British Legion, Perth Road. Crieff Probus Club 2026 programme continues - Tuesday, 7 April A Way Towards Green Energy, Tuesday, 21 April Antarctic Circle Expedition, Tuesday, 5 May Perth Theatre History, Tuesday, 19 May Customised Watches. www.crieffprobusclub.org.uk

Comrie & St Fillans Music Circle

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Cllr Noah Khogali

Strathearn Ward - Conservative

As we move into April, I want to start by highlighting a fantastic local initiative by two Crieff High School pupils, Angus Thomson and Rowan Haines. When changes to the previous delivery service left local paperboys and girls without their routes, Angus and Rowan showed remarkable entrepreneurial spirit by stepping up to fill the gap themselves. It is incredibly encouraging to see such a strong work ethic from our young people. They have turned a setback into a real success story for themselves. I want to pass on my congratulations to them both and wish them the very best as their project continues to grow. In other local news, while Braco sits just across the ward boundary in Strathallan, I know some Strathearn residents will still be interested in a major upcoming proposal nearby. Green Cat Hydrogen (GCH) is bringing forward plans to create a green hydrogen facility a few kilometres north-west of Braco. If you missed their first public event in March, a second public consultation is being held at the Braco Village Hall on Thursday, 9 April, from 2 pm to 6.30 pm. You can also view the plans online at gchydrogen.co.uk. I strongly encourage local residents who might be impacted to attend, ask questions, and make their voices heard before a formal planning application is submitted. Finally, looking slightly further ahead, preparations are well underway for the Strathearn Better Place to Live Fair, which will take place on Saturday, 13 June. This event promises to be extra special as it coincides with the 50th Anniversary of Crieff High School. With over 30 community groups already lined up, it is shaping up to be a fantastic day out. If you are part of a local group or organisation that would like a stall, please remember that booking forms need to be returned to the Campus Reception team by Friday, 24 April. As always, if there’s something you’d like to raise or discuss, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can contact me on - Telephone 01738 475000, email NKhogali@pkc.gov.uk or at Perth & Kinross Council, 2 High St, Perth PH1 5PH

Blair Atholl Village Hall Craft Fairs - It’s that time of year again when our village hall throws open its doors and car park on Saturdays to craft fairs run by the Atholl Craft Collective and the Craft Bazaar team. They don’t happen every week, but are on twice a month through the spring, summer and autumn months - a great place to find gifts for your loved ones and treats for yourself - check our website for exact dates www.blairathollvillagehall.co.uk/whats-on.

The first fair will be on Saturday, 11 April, so get yourselves along to see a wide range of arts and crafts work created by local people. And there may even be some spring plants for sale. What keen gardener can resist? Find out more - Email fobavh@outlook.com

Strathearn Music Society - Our 2025-26 winter season ended last month with Sequoia’s Water Music, Source to Sea, depicting musically the journey of a raindrop from the Highlands of Scotland via lochs and rivers to the estuary at the seashore. The various sections featured a mix of modern, local composers as well as the more classical and was an enlightening experience for our enthralled audience.

We are now taking a break until Wednesday, 10 June we have invited local youngsters to entertain us musically after our (hopefully) short AGM. Next, on Friday, 26 June we will be delighted to welcome back Les Trois Blondes (a.k.a The Three Lagers!) who will be providing the music for our annual, café-style jazz concert. More details about both these events will be given in a future edition of The Crieff and Comrie Quair. If you are looking for more information about any of our concerts or other activities, then visit the Strathearn Music Society’s website at www.concertsincrieff.co.uk or follow us on Facebook and X (Twitter) @concertscrieff.

Comrie Drama Club - Comrie Drama Club is proud to present a captivating new production of Gaslight at the White Church in Comrie from Thursday, 16 to Saturday, 18 April, 7.30 pm. Written by Patrick Hamilton, Gaslight is the renowned Victorian thriller that introduced the term now widely used to describe psychological manipulation. Set in a fog-shrouded London townhouse, the play follows Bella Manningham, a devoted wife who begins to doubt her own sanity. Footsteps are heard in empty rooms. Precious objects vanish without explanation. Most unsettling of all, the gaslights dim and flicker - yet her husband insists she is imagining it all. As Bella’s confidence erodes and the tension intensifies, audiences are drawn into a chilling battle of truth, deception and control. This tightly woven drama masterfully builds suspense while exploring themes that remain strikingly relevant today. With its period setting, intricate characters and mounting sense of unease, Gaslight promises edge-of-your-seat theatre from start to finish. Tickets are £12 each and are available now from Hansen’s Kitchen in Comrie or online at www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/105140. Secure your seats early and experience this powerful and haunting theatrical classic brought to life in the heart of Comrie. Crieff Choral Group - It’s April! Don’t miss Crieff Choral Group’s joint performance with Pitlochry and District Choral Society of Petite Messe Solennelle by Rossini. Rossini composed his beautiful mass in 1863, thirty-four years after writing his last opera. He originally scored it for twelve singers, (including the four soloists), two pianos and harmonium. According to Rossini’s original ideas, this could be replaced with an accordion, as in our performance, but this was considered to be too ‘popular’ for a religious work at that time.

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The concert will be conducted by Christoph Wutscher, with soloists: Colleen Nicoll - Soprano, Ulrike Wutscher - Mezzo-Soprano, David Douglas - Tenor, Colin Murray –Baritone, Piano - Andrew Johnston, Accordion - Wayne Robertson

Performances:

Saturday, 18 April 7.30 pm Pitlochry Festival Theatre Saturday, 25 April 7 pm Comrie Parish Church Tickets available from members of the choir or Eventbrite (booking fee will apply), £15 adults £5 school age child. Don’t forget to bring change for the famous hamper raffle! If you enjoy singing, and would like to join the choir for the next season, beginning in September, contact the choir secretary on crieffchoral@gmail.com or find information on www.facebook. com/crieff. Rehearsals are on Mondays at Strathearn Arts, from 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm. No audition necessary.

5th April & 3rd May 2026

Venison, Rabbit, Pheasant,

Library of Innerpeffray - A warm welcome awaits you at the Library of Innerpeffray, where our team of visitor guides can help you turn the pages of our historic collection and be enveloped in tales of past times. Our 2026 exhibition, ‘Signs of the Times’, explores the myriad uses of signs and symbols within the books of our collection. From books on mysterious subjects such as heraldry, emblems and allegory, to the history of printers’ marks and fine decorative bindings, this exhibition is a real visual delight. Dates for your Diary

Saturday, 30 and Sunday, 31 May - Exploring the Frozen South. Talk and mini exhibition about the life and exploits of polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Situated in Innerpeffray schoolroom, this exhibition affords the opportunity to view maps and texts from one of the Library’s most recent acquisitions - a pristine copy of ‘Heart of the Antarctic’. On Saturday afternoon, we are delighted to welcome Roderick Wordie - grandson of James Wordie, geologist with Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ expedition - to give an illustrated talk inspired by extracts from his grandfather’s log. Tickets for the talk will be £12 and will be available to book online. The exhibition will be free to view Saturday 10 am to 1 pm, and Sunday 2 pm to 5 pm.

Wednesday, 1 July - The Three Inch Fools: King Arthur and the Holy Fail. 7 pm. The ever-popular Three Inch Fools outdoor theatre company are back once more at Innerpeffray.

In a land of daring quests, dashing knights, and endless jousting, there lived a would-be herowaiting in the wings - who went by the name of Arthur. Saddle up - things are about to get legendary! Early bird tickets available online now - strictly limited in number and available until the end of April.

Friday, 7 August to Saturday, 8 August - Innerpeffray Summer Fayre. Friday and Saturday 10 am to 4 pm. Gladden your heart with a browse of our summer fayre in the schoolroom, with unique gifts from the Library alongside carefully curated stalls from local artists and makers. Free entry, refreshments available.

These are just a few of the events we have lined up for the season ahead - look out for our notices every month in The Quair to find out about more talks, concerts, fairs, workshops, our annual festival and a special exhibition that we have planned. The Friends of Innerpeffray Library will also have their annual programme of events, which will be announced here.

Call for Volunteers - Our friendly volunteer team are crucial to the running of the Library of Innerpeffray. Whether you would like to be a visitor guide, join the gardening team, do behind-thescenes admin or help out with our programme of events, we’d love to hear from you. Email info@innerpeffraylibrary.co.uk or call the number below.

From March to October, the Library’s regular opening hours are Wednesday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, and Sunday 2 pm to 5 pm. Contact us on 01764 652819 or visit our website at www.innerpeffraylibrary.co.uk for more details and for ticket booking.

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A thought for Easter by Jack Hay, Comrie: The Old Rugged Cross

It ranks as one of the best-loved gospel songs of all time, written by a Salvation Army officer, and made famous by its bands and singers.

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, The emblem of suffering and shame; And I love that old cross where the dearest and best

For a world of lost sinners was slain. The ‘hill far away’ was outside ancient Jerusalem. The incident took place around two thousand years ago and the hymn captures the horrors of the crucifixion scene when it speaks about ‘suffering and shame’. Try to imagine the anguish of the Saviour’s hands and feet being torn by jagged nails, or the torture of His bones being disjointed as the cross was dropped into its socket. The Bible uses the minimum of words to describe the brutal act: it simply says, ‘they crucified him’, Luke 23.33.

It devotes more space to explaining the reasons for His crucifixion. Summarising these, the hymn speaks of Him being slain for a world of lost sinners! It’s most unflattering! Is the hymn a bit over the top by suggesting that everyone in the world is a lost sinner? Maybe we would be more comfortable to narrow it down, and apply the term exclusively to terrorists, perverts, criminals and the like. Lost sinners? The fact is that the Bible declares that none of us has attained the perfect standard that God set when He gave the Ten Commandments and we needed the intervention of a Saviour. Happily, the Good Friday story reveals the reality of that intervention and that God’s forgiveness is available because Jesus Christ was slain for lost sinners on that old rugged cross. The Bible describes His death as a ‘sacrifice for sins’, Hebrews 10.12. By giving His life, He created a means whereby a holy God could save and forgive people like you and me. That salvation and pardon are dependent on us believing in Christ, depending on Him, for God promises that He will forgive each person who does, Acts 10.43.

Remember too that Easter Sunday followed Good Friday, and that His triumphant res-

urrection spells hope for the future for those whose trust is in Him. Best wishes for the Easter Season, and God bless you in the days ahead.

Crieff Connexions - Hopefully you’ll be aware that Citizens Advice are now in Crieff Connexions weekly. We’re delighted that Emma is available to see people. Make an appointment to see her on a Tuesday by emailing zallan@crieffconnexions.org.uk, messaging through the Crieff Connexions Facebook page, phoning 01764 218933, or popping in to speak to speaking to Zoe or Gillian.

There are other advice services available at Connexions and we wanted to take the chance to tell you about some of them.

First is Scam Awareness with Melanie Smith. You can next find her at Connexions on Thursday, 4 June.

As the Community Scams Officer for Perth and Kinross Council, Melanie hosts dropin sessions to provide general awareness of scam prevention and information on how to report scams. She also offers advice on scams currently being reported locally, as well as home visits and supporting leaflets. Shona Murray from the Employment Support Team hosts monthly drop-ins. The next session is on Thursday, 19 March, welcoming individuals who require help with employment-related concerns. We can provide advice on CV building, job applications, and exploring different pathways back into work. We also offer guidance on reasonable adjustments in the workplace, accessing training or courses, identifying suitable volunteering opportunities, understanding different job sectors, and recognising transferable skills. We have strong links with a range of partner services and work collaboratively to ensure individuals are signposted to the support that best meets their needs. Our aim is to empower people to move forward with confidence on their employment journey.

Specialist guidance, through Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership, can be provided to individuals facing barriers to work, including mental health conditions, learning disabilities, acquired brain injury, autism spectrum conditions, and

physical or sensory disabilities. We offer personalised, person-centred support from referral through to employment, in-work assistance, and ongoing aftercare. All referrals must come from a professional, and we ensure that each person receives the right level of tailored support.

Perth Kinross Council, Adult Learning provides a selection of free, flexible learning courses, to increase skills, knowledge and confidence which can be a stepping stone to further learning and work, for individuals over the age of 16. These can be offered online, face to face or in group settings to meet the needs of the individuals. Courses include SQA Core Skills in Numeracy, Communications, ICT- digital, ASDAN short courses in a variety of subjects and Food Hygiene NCAS level 2 for volunteers. Heather is at Connexions every week on Thursdays and is looking forwards to meeting you.

Crieff’s Fibro Warriors - Crieff’s Fibro Warriors is a support group for anyone suffering from Fibromyalgia in the Strathearn area.

We have a Facebook group and we meet in Crieff Baptist church on Tuesdays at 1.30 pm. For more information contact Claire Scott at clairegrieve@hotmail.co.uk.

Perth Citizens Advice Bureau

You can reach Perth CAB for Advice on: FREEPhone: 0808 196 9440 - 10am - 3pm Monday to Friday. (Free from landlines and mobiles)

E: advice@perthcab.org.uk W: www.perthcab.org.uk

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